What would you tell someone who does not believe in biological evloution because 1) it is just a theory,?

Question

& 2) think that we should not worry about air pollution because through natural selection, the human species will develop lungs that can detoxify pollutants.

Answer 1

Tell them: Evolution is a worldwide accepted theory by scientists for well over 100 years now. There has NEVER been a article published in a peer-review journal that could discredit evolution. There have been modification and revision, but the theory as a whole stands as strong as gravity as a theory.

People who say there are missing links or holes in the theory have obviously never studies it. There is a clear, unarguable progression from the Cambrian (~550 million years ago) to now with no gaps at the Family or Class level. There are some strange Genus or Species, but these are rare and easily explain by the incompleteness of the fossil record.

People also tend to try to discredit radiometric dating in the process, another worldwide accepted and applied scientific fact.

We study science. That means we make hypotheses and observation. Religion is based on faith, something that has ZERO part in science. You can believe, or have faith in, whatever you want, but to not accept evolution as the cause for modern, past, and future biodiversity is just ignorant in the true sense of the word.

One more thought: if science COULD prove evolution wrong and creation right (and thus God as real), it would have been done. That would be the single greatest scientific discovery of all time. Not only do scientists love glory, but they love to show each other up. If creation could be prove, it would have been done a long time ago. Science can not prove creation because that is based on faith and faith alone. Science has no place for faith (except when it comes to funding).

Answer 2

1) I would encourage further reading and a survey of the extremely abundant evidence.

The reasons for people rejecting abundant evidence often have to do with beliefs that are very entrenched for one reason or another, perhaps cultural, perhaps religious, perhaps "that's what my dad told me", etc. so it is important to acknowledge that with many such people, there is not much chance that you will be persuasive, therefore I would probably not get much further into a debate with such a person--it will only be frustrating for both of you.
2) well, one could argue that oxygen itself is just such a pollutant that the lungs have evolved to handle. Oxygen remains highly toxic in excess, and the body requires "anti-oxidants" that most are familiar with. However, the process of substantive evolutionary change requires adaptation in most cases over thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of years, and the rate of current pollution exceeds the rate of adaptation.

The moth example demonstrates an adaptive process, which can be the beginning of an evolutionary change, but of course a few hundred years is not sufficient for a new species to develop.

Answer 3

I would tell them that even though it is a good theory it is not a proven fact. There are still many missing links that almost completely invalidate the theory. Now, different genetic traits of a particular species is where they have it right. Depending on the environment many species will exhibit different traits that help them adapt to that particular environment. For instance, moths during the early industrial revolution in England. The same species of moth exhibited 2 different color traits, grey and white. Due to the high amount of smoke and ash in the air the white moth slowly was selected against due to its high visibility to birds. So white moths practically disappeared.

Years later when the smoke and ash are cut down dramatically grey moths start having babies that are white and they survive longer because the environment has changed. Evolution? No. Its just different genetic traits surfacing based on environmental conditions.

At no point in time is the moth going to grow legs and walk away.

Answer 4

1. Gravity is just a theory too, so ask him to jump off a bridge to test it. Then maybe he will learn that when a scientist uses the word "theory" she does NOT mean "hypothesis."

2. Natural selection works through the early death of unfit members of a species. So ask your friend to volunteer to die early for the evolution of the species and see if he thinks that's a good idea.

Answer 5

I would tell them they are rejecting the idea of evolution for the wrong reason. Such a person is confused about the meaning of the word 'theory'. When a scientist describes an idea or set of ideas as a 'theory' he/she is NOT saying the idea is not generally accepted as fact by scientists who have considered the idea in detail and at length. In science, an idea that is only tentative is called a hypothesis, not a theory. Evolution long ago passed from 'hypothesis' to 'theory' status, to the point where it is the foundational idea of all of biology.

Nonscientists, and scientists talking about nonscientific subjects, use the word 'theory' in its conventional sense, which means 'yet to be proven beyond reasonable doubt'.

A person who rejects evolution beause 'it is only a theory' is either confused, or playing word games to confuse you!

Answer 6

Theory? Theories are not unproved ideas, they are working hypothesis. Most uneducated people tend to think theories are just fake ideals, because they lack science information. Besides evolution is not something to believe, is something to understand and study.
Besides, evolution works on vertebrates at a very slow speed, since it takes at least 15 years (in humans) to have a new generation, pollution is very fast on human terms so there's no chance to adapt on such a short time.
Besides if your frien does not believe in evolution how come she spects a change on pollutants physiology?

Answer 7

Those who believe creation and does not believe in evolution ask him one question who created God?

Some of his answers will be
1) Faith
No data to support his theory Only faith.
2) He is god
If god can jump out of no where so as the universe can jump out of nowhere and evolve itself.

3) It is in Bible.
Bible says the earth is flat. Sun moves around earth. We know what happened to that theory

4) I am not made out of water.

Certainly . Then are they made out of CLAY as bible says.

we can keep on going.....

Answer 8

1) It is just a theroy
2) Although toxin do kill, what you described is already known as "adaptation".
3) do the math.