If you believe in Evolution does that mean you have to be able to explain it?

Question

I want to believe it but when people ask me how it all happened I can't answer all their questions. Is it ok to believe it if I don't know it all? What should I do?

Answer 1

Evolution talks about organisms going from simple to complex. This happens as a result of slight mutations in the DNA of the organism. Mutations are a loss of information not a gain as in the religion of evolution. Evolution is a religion. If you break down the Information in Evolution and compare it to the FACTS of science, you will find out that it does not add up.

Answer 2

I can't explain the most recent theories in quantum physics
but I have pretty good faith that the chair my butt is planted on
won't spontaneously disappear.

People believe in things that they can't explain all the time.

Since we can be experts in all subject matter, some times you
end up relying on the credibility of other experts and your
assessment of their reasoning.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you believe in
the "scientific method" - the idea that you propose a theory,
design an experiment to test the validity of that theory and if it fails
consider the possibility that either the experiment or the theory is
wrong and revise appropriately. Ultimately, the concept
requires that you be able to perform experiements that others
can also perform and get the same results.

There are some theories that have stayed around for a long
time because nobody could disprove them (such as most of
Newton's laws). Ultimately, with the advent of Einstein and
some physical phenomenon that couldn't be explained by
Newton's theories but could be explained Einstein's, things
changed over, but Newton's theories WERE the best that
Science could offer from centuries.

Similarly, "evolution" is a theory which people can perform
experiments and get the same results and has explained
every credible question that it has been applied to, though
sometimes not well. That is, you can use Evolution to
predict what will happen next (at least on some level).

It may well be that there are other theories that explain
biological processes better, but they fail to be useful for
prediction. It may be that we get one that is useful for
prediction and passes any test we can think up ... and then
it will be the best science we have.

Until then, Evolution is it for explaining why we have different
organisms on Earth.

Note that I can produce a theory which cannot be disproved
but fails to tell me anything, fails to predict anything. For
instance, I could theorize that the entire universe is a figment
of my imagination - and NOTHING can happen that will
prove that wrong to me. However, it won't allow me to better
predict what is going to happen in my little dream world, so it
isn't all that useful.

Similarly, saying that God is responsible for everything is
not really disprovable, but it doesn't help me decide how to
build a rocket engine either.

To "What should I do", you should consider putting the shoe
on the other foot. Ask them how God created everything.
That is, if your theory is suppose to stand close scrutiny, then
that which it is compared to should also be able to stand close
scrutiny.

If God created the heavens and the Earth and so on, how did
he do it? What came before it?

Any answer that smells like "I don't know" is just as invalidating
as the fact that you don't know everything there is to know about
Evolution.

Ultimately, the two different methods of attacking a problem,
"reason" and "faith" will in the end be resolved by reason.
That is, as soon as God and clan become predictable, they
are acting scientifically and reasonbly.

Answer 3

Do you have to learn molecular genetics to look at a dinosaur fossil in a museum? No.

If you feel that there cannot be a vast conspiracy involving hundreds of thousands of scientists working in small groups around the world, you should be comfortable with science and evolution. The key is always cast a skeptical eye on people's conclusion. When a scientist talks to the press, it's a show. He wants to create a clear message and focuses on what he can answer. Every fossil find raises as many questions as it answers.

Read, think, and be honest. Do not claim knowledge you don't have. There are a lot of people here quoting sources of dubious merit. Don't fall for hype, and love what you learn.

Answer 4

You shouldn't believe without at least understanding the basics of something.

If you can understand:
* Evolution does not describe the beginning of the universe or life (cosmology or abiogenesis, respectively)
* Survival of the fittest means 'that group which is most responsive to change in environment' and not 'strongest and smartest'
* Genes are DNA and soemtimes RNA sequences that code for specific proteins.
* Genes can be dominant or recessive, though some traits may be multi-gene linked.
* The punnett square can be used to show the likelihood of offspring having combinations of traits from parents.
* Mutations can be fatal (usually), bad (most of the rest of the time), neutral (tolerably common) or good (rare).

Then you probably have a good enough grasp. Otherwise, go grab a high school biology book and read up on it, you should be able to get the basics in one evening.

Believe nothing without critical thought.

Answer 5

Let's clear up this whole "believe" thing, shall we?

I "believe" in electricity, and I cannot explain how it works. That doesn't make it a matter of faith in the way that I believe in the Lord and Lady.

When someone says they "believe" in evolutionary theory, it's like saying they "believe" in the law of gravity. They accept it as a an adequately-proven explanation for something.

The explanation of how gravity works - the details of gravitational attraction - has changed, btw, did you all know that? Does that mean that things just started floating off into space unless you kept a good firm hold on them?

OMG, the old theory of gravitational pull wasn't completely correct in all it's details, I guess that means it was never true!!!

No.

Similarly, the *refinement of knowledge* about evolution doesn't mean that it's just a fairy tale.

Answer 6

Why would you agree with something that you are unaware of? Just blindly agreeing with evolution just because everyone else says that it is the truth is a pretty poor reason to believe in something. Study evolution, come to understand the theory in its entirety, and then come to a conclusion on why you believe in evolution. This way you will be able to explain what you believe.

Answer 7

Good question. Even the best evolutionary biologists don't have the explanation for every aspect of evolution (as Creationists will tell you ad infinitum... yawn). But it is a theory massively supported by evidence at both an intuitive and experimental level. It is, furthermore, not difficult to understand at a fundamental level - get a couple of good books, look at a few websites, see what you understand. One thing's for sure, you should never have to resort to an argument like, "How can we be so proud as to assume to understand the processes of..." which is the theists' get-out clause for what they don't understand. Evolution is massively evidenced. Get to grips with Natural Selection. Read Richard Dawkins's book The Selfish Gene.

Answer 8

Sometimes you just have to believe that scientists know what they are talking about. I don't completely know how a plasma screen TV works, but I believe the scientists who develop the technology know what they are doing. The scientists who study evolution almost completely say evolution is the answer. You just have to believe they know what they are talking about. At least believe they know more then a 2000 year old book.

Answer 9

Absolutely, When the rubber hits the road, will you be able to explain it, when asked? However, I have found evolution with way more than it's share of holes in it. I spent a year debating and discussing on forums. I know every belief in the book between evolution and Christianity, and trust me, Christianity will always win. There is so much evidence for a creator and so much lacking in the evolutionary theory it's crazy. That's why it's called a theory; nothing more.

Answer 10

Do you believe in gravity? We actually have MORE evidence (we being a scientific community) for evolution by natural selection than we do for what gravity is and why it works. I think, in you're position, I'd personally probably WANT to go look up what the evidence is, but you don't need to be an expert on EVERYTHING in order to believe it. That's why we have experts.