"Alas, you have fallen victim to the Myth of Popular Evolution that insists improvements lead to new species. The scientific, biological theorem of Evolution, on the other hand, is a theory about changes. You don't see the difference? I thought not...
The Myth says everything (including reason) is simply the unforeseen and unintended by-product of a mindless process at one stage of its endless and aimless becoming. Your HIV virui are still HIV virui. They have not evolved. They have adapted to a life-threatening attack (antibiotics etc). But they are mindless and purposeless except to exist. They simply devote themselves to reproducing. That tells us more about the Force of Life at work in the universe than it does about evolution. It's not a problem. "
Does this person not understand the role of natural selection and adaptation in evolution?
2006-12-29 08:03:06 · 13 answers · asked by ÜFÖ 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The quote was in response to this question, in which I clearly state that I am not discussing a new species of virus. I am discussing different strains of HIV.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqToKKblrvc2COKkU37g1W_sy6IX?qid=20061229122944AA0pDa3
2006-12-29 08:04:51 · update #1
Getting dumb answers on Y!A is hardly news. This is a typical Creationist babble. With evolution clearly demonstrated, they use a variety of rhetorical devices to continue to deny the overwhelming evidence. They construct meaningless undemonstated reasons why adaptation by natural selections of favorable mutations is not "evolution". This is a typical response that demonstrates lack of understanding of the subject, and fierce denial of the obvious, by use of random semantic redefinitions. One of the few things that evolves, by random substition, more rapidly than HIV is empty Creationist rhetoric.
2006-12-29 10:23:54 · answer #1 · answered by novangelis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't all that mysterious. What the answerer appears to be emphasizing is the idea that even though a species may "improve", that does not indicate speciation. She accepts micro-evolution but not macro-evolution. (A yellow-legged piebald grackle that develops a better shaped wing for keeping the eggs in her nest would still be a yellow-legged piebald grackle.)
According to macro-evolution, speciation does occur. Cumulative genetic changes result in a descendents that can no longer successfully mate with less differentiated specimens. That's the primary definition of a species as I understand it. But speciation events are not immediately observable, and so are difficult to verify and document. The answerer is saying it doesn't happen at all.
Her point about the mindlessness and aimlessness is somewhat ironic. That is exactly how adaptation works. Long-necked giraffes do NOT develop because they learned to stretch their necks and somehow imprinted the change on their genes. They develop because something about their environment favored giraffes with naturally longer necks (or neck-stretching ability). The shorter-necked giraffes died out because they did not live long enough to successfully reproduce. Bacteria do not "develop" a resistance to the antibiotic. All the non-resistant bacteria die off, leaving more room for naturally resistant bacteria to replace them.
But determining exactly how similar species are related and when speciation has occured requires some patience and educated guesswork. Ethical considerations aside, it would be convenient to have a controllable environment and the time to observe generational adaptations of a species as hostile conditions were introduced, except that the lines between extinction, survival and speciation are hard to sketch out in such an experiment. The mutations may not cooperate. So the disputes will continue.
2006-12-29 11:17:52 · answer #2 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So quoting your "they simply devote themselves to reproducing" what can u say about humans? Are we mindless and purposeless except to exist? Was the Cro mag non man mindless and purposeless to exist, and then all of sudden humans have a purpose and a destiny? Or did we just adapt to our surroundings and all of a sudden got a whole lot smarter? U are right about the virus. But what is myth and what is reality? And why does time always have to screw things sideways for us? Im not mocking u sometimes the best discussion is for me to ask both of us these questions. lol.
2006-12-29 08:15:53 · answer #3 · answered by the sponge 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even if you have natural selection and adaption in with evolution, it is still not enough to explain more complex things evolving from less complex things.
Here's another thing: the birds Darwin observed went *back* to the way they previously were once the threat which they adapted to avert was no longer present.
2006-12-29 08:33:03 · answer #4 · answered by mle_trogdor2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They obviously have no clue at all!
Maybe it was something he read in Popular Evolution Magazine. I can understand his confusion if that is the case. It would be like trying to qualify in mechanical engineering by reading Popular Mechanics Magazine and ordering the build it yourself flying saucer plans.
2006-12-29 08:10:33 · answer #5 · answered by Barabas 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This person simply doesn't understand how DNA works.
Answers like this that sound like they know what they are talking about are why so many people have so many screwed up notions about evolution.
2006-12-29 08:10:06 · answer #6 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It can't be explained because the person doesn't know Evolution well enough to understand it. They're trying to point to Creationism and god as the method we got here.
Don't even try to understand it. It will never make sense to you.
2006-12-29 08:05:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
*for sure you refuse to pay interest on what's been suggested. sure, we are to "search for the dominion first".......yet note that it says not something about attempting to be contained in the heavenly kingdom. when we stay to "search for the dominion first", it means that we do our area in obedience to God and to Jesus in furthering Kingdom pastimes. the chance for existence in heaven is held out really to a elect few persons. maximum folk human beings could have the wish of residing always on earth, taking area in perfection of thoughts and body, and residing in a global paradise. that could really be extra about by technique of God's kingdom. And when we pray for that kingdom to go back, we are praying for the dominion to take action and cleanse the earth. * also, judging by Sasi's remark, she apparently is conscious next to not something about Jehovah's Witnesses or what the Bible teaches with reference to the destiny for the earth and its inhabitants. there is no "earthly kingdom". there is ONE kingdom. it truly is in heaven, and its rulers are Jesus and his one hundred and forty four,000 corulers. they are going to rule over the earth, from heaven. ======================== some all of us is merely too ignorant for his or her own strong and favor to strengthen up. (See previous remark.) - there is ONE kingdom. That kingdom is operating IN heaven. That kingdom will rule over the earth. There.....is all of us paying interest now? Or were those too many huge words for you?
2016-12-01 07:39:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's lot of words to say nothing worthwhile-rhetoric and obfuscation are key weapons in the creationist armoury.
2006-12-29 08:06:02 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It sounds like they are at a moral dilemma so they are adapting it to fit what they believe.
2006-12-29 08:06:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋