do you believe in evolution?

Question

is it a sciencetific fact?

Answer 1

No, I don't believe in evolution. I know that the process of evolution has occurred. I have seen it.

A lot of people on this board confuse the process of evolution and the theory of evolution. I'll clarify, for those that care to read...

1) The process of evolution is simply a change over a long enough period of time that presents itself in an organism (or population of organisms). It has been seen in just about every phylum I can think of (although I'm not sure if I've seen any papers documenting it protists, just haven't looked).

2) The theory of evolution explains how the process works. It is based on three facts that scientists have seen and also documented: genetic variation, mutation, and natural selection.

The process of evolution is considered a fact, or better stated, evidence for, the theory of evolution.

All these things are documented, have been peer-reviewed, and are accepted by the scientific community. There is no implication of God or the devil or Allah or anything else in any of these things. The evidence is based on purely observing natural phenomena, and the theory is based on logic and deductive reasoning.

Edit: A couple of responses to answerers...

>>"I believe in evolution as I believe in roulette wheels. Science can explain everything imaginable about a roulette wheel except who is going to win. Science can explain everything about evolution except what is going to win survival and what isn't."

This is good. I hadn't thought about it that way before (at least not in those specific terms), but you're correct. There is no implication at all of what will "win" and what will "lose", because it's almost impossible to predict with anywhere near close to 100% certainty. It can help predict what traits of an organism will survive over many generations with a given amount of information on the environment, but it doesn't make any grand claims that one species or organ will survive and one won't.

>>"It is fact only to those poor, brainwashed intellectuals who refuse to accept that evolution, other than minor variations, is impossible."

If you would rather be ignorant, that's fine with me. Just don't vote or procreate, on behalf of the rest of the world.

>>" nothing in science is 'fact'. however, its pretty much been proven to be true, and if it isnt, its still the best theory around explaining how humans came to be. and yes i obviously believe in it, the evidence is right there in front of my eyes."

I would only disagree on semantics. Science doesn't profess to be truth, only descriptions of facts and evidence.

Answer 2

regrettably, definite. i do no longer understand the way they are able to handle the cognitive dissonance. you're actually not properly-knowledgeable in view which you do no longer understand that concept is the optimum point in technology. it extremely is not a wager. it extremely is ignorant to declare "only a thought". the effortless ancestor of all apes (such as human beings and chimps) is a monkey and that is shown on your delight. It does no longer count on the assumption of evolution. it extremely is a actuality. Theories don't have evidence which only applies in arithmetic. Theories have evidence. there is not any evidence of a god of any style. Theories are falsifiable. it extremely is a characteristic, no longer a computer virus. If evidence is produced that shows yet another thought or this one desires modification, then we found out something and are grateful for it. faith does no longer have that characteristic. And it extremely is requred. So creation by potential of a god isn't able to being a thought. using fact the invention of mitochodrial DNA ancestry might properly be desperate by potential of genetic mapping and we don't desire bones to substantiate the assumption. Theories make predictions and could be used to develop different theories and open up fullyyt new strains of inquiry. the assumption of evolution is functional using fact is works, no longer unavoidably using fact it extremely is actuality. Evolution is actuality yet organic selection is a thought. base line is that it works. God as a proof would not artwork for us and is no longer probably an answer in that regard. Its an excuse to no longer think of roughly it.

Answer 3

Evolution absolutely is a scientific fact. It has been observed to occur. Bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics is just one verifiable, incontravertible instance of evolution occurring.

The scientific theory that explains WHY and HOW evolution occurs is the real important part of the equation, however. This is the bit referred to as the Theory of Biological Evolution, the prime mover of which is natural selection.

It is this part that detractors generally refer to as 'just a theory', despite the fact that the evidence supporting this theory is stronger and more numerous than the evidence supporting the Theory of Gravity, the Theory of Relativity, the Germ Theory of Disease Propagation or any number of other scientific theories that are generally accepted as fact.

But because the implications of the theory of evolution indicate that we are closely related to the great apes, having evolved from a common ancestor about 5-8 million years ago, some people, notably those who insist that we actually were created from dirt about 6000 years ago are vehemently opposed to listening to reason and evidence in this particular realm.

Answer 4

I observe evolution directly and indirectly. No belief required.

Evolution is a theory which is bigger than a fact. A scientific fact is the measurements of one fossil bone. A scientific hypothesis takes a large collection of facts and connects them by creating a simple mechanism that connects the facts. A scientific theory is tested by determining the implications of the hypothetical mechanism and stringently demonstrating the implications. Only once it is well tested, does it become a theory.

Answer 5

Evolution is a fact. For those ignoramuses who say, "Evolution is *only* a theory:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-fact.html

"Well evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape-like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."

Answer 6

The term evolution is fact (change in a gene pool over time). There is also a Theory of evolution that the term is what led to the variety of species on the planet. And this is the only scientific theory there is, and a strong one at that.

Answer 7

I believe in evolution as I believe in roulette wheels. Science can explain everything imaginable about a roulette wheel except who is going to win. Science can explain everything about evolution except what is going to win survival and what isn't.

Answer 8

Evolution is both fact and scientific theory.

Answer 9

It would be foolish not to. Yes, evolution is a fact and can be observed in a lab.

Answer 10

Yes.