What are your views on evolution?

Question

Explain in as much detail as possible.

Keep the answers coming. I'm trying to compare different viewpoints to prepare for a Socratic seminar.

Answer 1

Considering that it fits all of the physical evidence gathered to date, and explains everything from why we have five fingers and toes, four limbs and can choke on our food, to why there's raccoons in North America and not Russia, it is one of the most powerful and useful theories in all of science, and nothing in biology makes any sense except in light of the theory of evolution.

As for the detail: People can and do base entire degrees and careers in detailing the evidence for evolution, and studying evolutionary biology. There simply isn't room in this forum to put in all the detail possible.

EDIT: In response to some of the answers below -

Why are there still stupid or ugly people? Because stupid and ugly people reproduce. In many cases, stupid and ugly people seem to be having more kids than anyone else. Evolution works on what survives to reproduce, not what is smartest or prettiest.

As to the 'holes in the hypothesis' because modern man is 'too far ahead' of neandertals and Cro Magnon: Cro Magnon IS modern man. The skeletal remains of Cro Magnon are in every way, shape and form those of an anatomically modern human being (Homo sapiens sapiens).

The neandertals were very close to modern humans, and many scientists place them in a closely related subspecies of the same species (Homo sapiens neandertalensis). In fact, neandertals on average had LARGER brains than modern humans. There's very little evidence that they were in any sense 'lower man'. The reason why neandertals seem to have died out and modern man survived is one of the big questions in paleoanthropology.

As to the 'huge untapped mind capacity', I'm assuming that's a reference to the old 'we only use 10% of our brains' myth. That statistic is left over from the turn of the last century, and actually referred to the fact that neuroscientists at the time only knew what about 10% of the brain did. Somehow, however, it seems to have crept into modern mythology, and is now as ingrained as the 'facts' that toads give you warts, bats get stuck in your hair, hot water freezes faster than cold, or green M&Ms make you horny.

There are indeed other writings that put forth different ideas. There are also writings that indicate that Captain Kirk and Harry Potter destroyed the Deathstar and then had sex.

However, scientific literature that uses actual physical evidence supports the theory of evolution.

Answer 2

I think its a great theory. Data from many different scientific disciplines have come together on this one idea, without intending to. The more you look the more you see data that fits the theory. Why not believe in it? Not believing in evolution at this point is akin to living in the 19th century and still insisting that the sun revolves around the earth.

Furthermore, I really don't get why some religious people feel that its a threat to their beliefs. In no way does evolution disprove any religion. If you are threatened by the idea of evolution, you just aren't being flexible or creative enough to find away to match your beliefs with the observable data. Heck, I mean the Catholic church has even accepted it, its taught in Catholic schools, and we all know that historically they are very reluctant to accept scientific data unless they truly feel it doesn't contradict their ideas. And it doesn't. And I should know because I'm Catholic, and I believe strongly in evolution. So there.

Answer 3

The first thing I do is clarify what you mean by "evolution". That word can be used either to refer to the *process* of evolution, or the *theory* of evolution.

The process of evolution is an undeniable fact. Evolution is simply change ... change at the population or species level, not the individual level ... and it is an undeniable fact that species change. Breeding of cattle to have bigger udders, or racehorses to be faster are "change at the population level" and are therefore evolution. The resistance of this year's flu virus to last-year's flu shot is "change at the population level" and is therefore evolution. The change over the past 120 years in the beak sizes of Galapagos finches is documented "change at the population level" and is therefore evolution.

The *theory* of evolution is the theory that explains (a) how the process of evolution occurs in nature; and (b) how that same process can explain all the life forms on the planet as descending from common ancestors in a huge branching tree of life.

As theories go, the *theory* of evolution is one of the strongest theories in the history of science. There is tons of evidence in fossils, genetics, molecular biology (DNA), biogeographics, embryology, homology, vestigial structures, virology, bacteriology, immunology, etc. Evolution connects all of these things, and none of these things make any sense without evolution.

Answer 4

There's too many holes in the hypothesis to even be considered as true. Modern man, homo sapiens, is too far ahead of any lower man, neanderthal or cro magnon. For example, if nature doesn't allow excess baggage, why does man as we know him have such a huge untapped mind capacity? There hasn't been enough time for modern man to evolve from the other two. Science falls way short on this one. It tries to compare a macro level idea to micro evidence and observations in nature and the lab.

If you search other writings, you will find many different ideas about the origin of modern man. One even proposes that man like creatures eveolved to a certain point, but real man came from a different creative source, and has not been around for as long as science would like to think.

Answer 5

Strictly speaking, it just means a change through time. There
are many evidences that these changes have taken place; the fossil record, comparative anatomy/homologous structures, vestigial structures, etc.

Answer 6

It's a pretty fast car. I'm not that big a fan of Mitsubishi though. Might be fun to drive for a brief period of time, but supercharging a small engine like that, I wouldn't keep it past 30,000 miles.

Answer 7

Personally I dont care. Who really cares if we evolved from monkeys, apes or Jackass penguins for that matter? It's not like we will have to de-evolve again.
God, evolution or aliens that seeded us for a laugh,so?
As long as I'm alive and happy, I can get over the rest.

Answer 8

It gives a much more logical explanantion to the creation of this Earth and its inhabitants, than the theory of evolution!

Answer 9

I disagree with it. I believe in Creation, and I don't care how much evidence there is otherwise because science is about needing proof, and religion is more about not needing proof to believe in God.

Answer 10

i think its more or less true. but think about it. why doesnt it seem to work on people? why are there still stupid people? and ugly people? if stupid people die and ugly people dont mate, then why do they still exist?