Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: cracker
"Natural Selection occurs and is observerd. Therefore it is part of the observable universe and is covered in both sets of assumptions. Mutation is also observed, and is covered in both sets of assumptions. You are splitting hairs."

No, I'm simply listing all the degrees of freedom for both theories, per the pre-requisites for Occam's Razor. If Natural Selection and Random Mutation are required for Evolutionary Theory, then list them as degrees of freedom on their half of your Occam chart. If they aren't required then don't.

But simply not listing something because you don't like the final answer in unscientific. Please see Post #194 for an honest example of Occam's Razor.

Also, please note that I am not the one who insists upon using Occam's Razor to choose between Evolution and Intelligent Deisgn. But for goodness sakes, if you are going to insist upon using Occam's Razor, at least use it honestly.

362 posted on 03/05/2002 10:18:20 AM PST by Southack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 358 | View Replies ]


To: Southack
No, I'm simply listing all the degrees of freedom for both theories, per the pre-requisites for Occam's Razor. If Natural Selection and Random Mutation are required for Evolutionary Theory, then list them as degrees of freedom on their half of your Occam chart. If they aren't required then don't.

I will repeat myself a third time. After that I will assume you are willfully ignoring the explanation.

Natural Selection and Mutation are observed facts of the natural world. I listed "existence of the observed universe" as a prerequisite for evolution (and for ID). Thus, they are accounted for. Note that I did not list the existence of gravity, the sun, or water. Those are also all observed facts of the universe, and the only assumption that needs to be made is that the universe exists. I suppose I could include an assumption that our sensory perceptions are an accurate and true reflection of the universe, but that seemed unneccessary, especially since that assumption is also required for ID.

As stated before, ID requires all of the assumptions of evolution: those relating to the existence of the natural world and our ability to perceive it. ID then further requires assumptions about the existence of the supernatural. Thus, ID requires ADDITIONAL assumptions, and is rejected by Occam's Razor as a less likely hypothesis.

To the extent you dispute the evidence for evolution in the natural world (fossils, DNA, speciation, mutation rates, etc.), that is a matter for scientfic research and investigation and debate. But thus far, you have not made those arguments.

373 posted on 03/05/2002 10:42:24 AM PST by cracker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 362 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson