Why do people still use that horrible example of the 747?

Question

Just about every time i bring up evolution in here there is at least one answer that says they don't believe evolution because it would be like sending a tornado through a scrap yard and ending up with a functioning 747.

This argument for one, illustrates nothing at all that is close to the mechanics of evolution. If any of you who believe that this is what evolution is would read a reputable book about evoulution you would understand this. Heck, you don't even need to read a whole book... Just go to the talk origins website and read a few articles.

Always keep in mind that when you hear someone talking about evolution, they are using time and size scales that are very hard for us to picture. We exist in a world of this size, with very small time scales... but evolution takes place over hundreds of thousands to billions of years with changes that are so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye.

I urge everyone who has a problem with this question to find a good (and recent) book about evolution in the science section of your local book store and read it carefully. The arguments against it from some of you people only show those of us that understand it that you don't. Knowledge is power, and if you want to criticize something you should know a thing or 2 about it first.

Ditto... The difference is that we have observable and measureable data to support evolution... while there is absolutely none for god.

Answer 1

Your emphasis to read a recent book makes an interesting point about evolution - that it too is evolving! In fact, they've pretty much poo-pooed Darwin's theory and today we have multiple theories. Interesting, so when does it stop?

Answer 2

That's the very first time I have heard the 747 story. I love it, thanks. Just imagine it is a very slow tornado over a very long time like several million years. It would have to start out with smaller things like roller skates, tricycles, bicycles, motorbikes, branch off into automobiles and gliders. Then the Right brothers air plane followed by much bigger planes then branching to rockets and jet propulsion. Ah yes it could be done. I know I have left out a lot of missing links but its defiantly feasible with a long enough tornado. I'm only pulling your leg honey. I do like the 747 story though. And of course you are right about evolution. God Bless, love and kisses Betty. xx

Answer 3

Evolution is a concept that is easy to grasp as an outline but needs quite a lot of deep thought to get to the details. Even if you understand Relativity as first glance it takes years to fully understand the theory.

People such as Hoyle who used this example thought they understood what evolution was but clearly hadn't got a clue, and if such an eminent person as he could get it wrong then what chance the religion addled normal person.

And to those who have yet again posted above demonstrating their ignorance of the theory of evolution, pleeease go away and read about it.

Oh and Dog-Sneeze, he was basically just trying to flog his theories about life starting on different planets and has been ridiculed ever since not so much for that theory as for not realising he has just moved the problem back one step.

Answer 4

There is a book by Dr Gerald Shroeder called "Genesis One" its very good book about Creation and Evolution ,How long it took God to create the Universe could be billions of years but He can do it in a split second if he wants , Man has no way of knowing ,Science chances all the time but the Word of are Lord stands forever !

Answer 5

Evolution is the natural part of humanity and earth. You can't look at what we have done in the last 200 years and say we don't evolve. It is the same way I view the universe. It is too large and vast for us to not be the only planet that supports intelligent life.

Answer 6

"Always keep in mind that when you hear someone talking about evolution, they are using time and size scales that are very hard for us to picture. We exist in a world of this size, with very small time scales... but evolution takes place over hundreds of thousands to billions of years with changes that are so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye. "

Interestingly, most People who believe in God are mocked for believing in a being who is very hard for us to picture, who cannot be seen by the naked eye.
It would seem that you have to have a measure of faith to believe in either then?

Unless YOU personally take up the evidence, do all the experiments, and scientific analysis yourself, by believing in evolution you are as much believing the words of others to be a fact, as those who believe the Bible to be a fact do.

Answer 7

Fred Hoyle, the famous astronomer created that phrase to refute terrestrial evolution in favor of panspermia. He suggested the basic builing blocks of life were formed in space in the 8 billion years prior to the formation of the Earth, and carried to Earth on comets. This of course begs the question of how life did form.

Answer 8

The quote is by Fred Hoyle and it states the statistical probabilities of life arising from non-life. Hoyle is a highly regarded scientist who worked for the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge. He is an atheist and reading any of his books is reading well respected scientific literature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Hoyle
http://home.wxs.nl/~gkorthof/kortho46a.htm

Likewise, your misunderstanding that the statement refers to how evolution works probably stems from Richard Dawkins who misunderstood it this way in The Blind Watchmaker.

Answer 9

If God wanted the earth and living organisms to evolve a certain way wouldn't he just do it. Why would it disprove the fact that God is creator and sustain or. But the fact still remains that he put to mutch of his personality in his creation. Looki at the lizard who's tail pops of and grows back. the broken piece snaps of and wiggles like a fishing lure while the lizard i believe is paralyzed. Just one example

Answer 10

Never heard that analogy, but I like it.
I could never figure out why the evolunationary scientists aren't down at the Ford plant trying to develop an explosion that would assemble a car. Think of all the money they could save on assembly line robots.