FromTheSidelines: "...How does abiogenesis relate to the theory of evolution?"
Jack Hydrazine: "If you don’t know that abiogenesis is a foundational tenet of evolution then there is nothing to discuss."
FromTheSidelines: "...then point out to me in the theory of evolution where it is a foundational tenet..."
Anti-evolutionists put a lot of effort into confusing themselves and others about just what the word "evolution" means.
In scientific terms, there are the facts of evolution, the theory of evolution, and a number of hypotheses based on the facts and theory.
In scientific terms, a fact is a confirmed observation and evolution consists of two basic facts: 1) descent with modifications and 2) natural selection, aka "survival of the fittest".
The theory of evolution simply projects these facts backward in time millions and billions of years.
And it is a theory, not just some hypothesis, because it is confirmed by, among other things, the fossil record, DNA analysis and many inputs from virtually every other branch of science.
Regarding the very beginnings of life on Earth, several hypotheses have been proposed, including the aforementioned abiogenesis.
Another hypothosis posits that life arrived on earth aboard some comet or asteroid from another world.
Yet another hypothesis suggests that life was first created, and later guided in its evolution, by some Intelligent Designer.
All of these hypotheses can be argued, more-or-less legitimately, but none has been seriously confirmed.
None has yet graduated from hypothesis to theory, much less fact.
Thanks! I know that Jack’s trying to use abiogenesis as a means to drag away from the actual debate, as a strawman for him to attack...
I also assume he recognizes that I’m not falling for it, and thus the reason he’s mute on the subject and doesn’t answer the question I posted about how it relates to the theory of evolution.