Is it worse that people don't understand evolution, or that they don't understand...?

Question

the definition of the word "theory" in a scientific context?

Theory has a very different meaning in the scientific world. It's not a guess, or conjecture. For instance there is the theory of gravity, the theory of relativity... a theory is a body of experimentation, evidence, mathematical proofs, etc. that support a hypothesis. A hypothesis, for those who don't know, is an educated guess based on physical observations or prior experimentation.

The theory of evolution has been proved as best as science can prove anything, and it gains more and more evidence to support it almost every day. Those who call it "just a theory" either have a fundamental misunderstanding of science and the scientific method, or are making excuses to believe things that are not true.

Think of it this way... Is music just a theory? Why do they call the study of what makes good music "Music Theory?" Perhaps for the same reasons they call the study of the origin of the diversity of life on our planet "Evolutionary Theory."

By the way, Laws in science are very different things from theories. Theories never become laws, and laws were never theories contrary to popular belief.

Answer 1

The worst thing is that they don't want to know.

Imagine, not wanting to know the truth

Answer 2

I can tell, this really bothers you, doesn't it?
So, what would be the worst thing that could possibly happen, if you can't convince everyone within reach that "evolution is a fact"?
It's OK, take a deep breath, and think about it, for a few seconds.
Not everyone is a science geek, or wants to be one.
And that's OK, too. The world also needs musicians, and writers, and artists...the world needs electricians, and mechanics, and brick layers...we need plumbers, and the guy who paints the line down the middle of the street. Some of these folks accept evolution as a fact, others do not.
I'm guessing that most of them just aren't sure.
And that's OK.

You know, it is completely possible to be "agnostic" in the matter of evolution, and not be a "fundie", or be making excuses to believe things that are not true.
Btw, how do you KNOW that there is, in fact, no Creator? Seriously, science does not even know all there is to know about our own planet, let alone this one solar system...it is a far cry from knowing all there is to know about the entire universe...and there is absolutely no way science can EVER know what might lie OUTSIDE of this universe...
Why do you have such a hard time admitting that, even with all the "evidence" you have, you cannot prove that there is no God?
Once you can meet Christians at least half way, you will have taken a GIANT step toward healing the rift between Christians and science.

BOTH sides ought to have realized by this time...this is a foolish argument. A few imbeciles have chosen to make evolution the starting point for a battle royal between God and science.
God only smiles. He has no problem whatsoever with science.
After all....

God invented science.


OH, yeah....
I'm still praying for you, my friend!!

Answer 3

I think a lack of understanding of the use of the term theory is worse. After all, anyone who does not understand evolution can learn it; just read a reasonably detailed book. But if you have been brainwashed to believe that "theory" means it's just something you can dismiss as unproven, unsubstantiated, etc., you are well on your way to cognitive limits that are extremely hard to overcome.

It never ceases to amaze me how people can say "prove it, prove it" over and over, without recognizing that what they are actually asking for is evidence which will be convincing. Once they have determined that no amount of evidence will convince them, it is indeed impossible to prove that thing to them.

Every first year law student knows the difference between evidence and proof. You don't have to go to science or to religion to learn that. It's really very basic.

Answer 4

When a scientific theory receives overwhelming support from the vast majority of the best and brightest our world has to offer, denying their acumen is just being obstinate for obstinacy's sake.

When scientists came up with atomic theory (which made the A-bomb possible) there were naysayers who believed that a nuclear reaction on Earth would runaway uncontrollably, or cause the atmosphere to ignite. Of course neither of these things happened, but right up until Fermi initiated the first controlled reaction in 1942, people believed atomic theory was science fiction.

This is how it always goes when science tries to illuminate those places people fear. Why people prefer the comfort of superstition over the comfort of fact makes absolutely no sense to me.

Answer 5

I do understand what I theory is. What I'm sick and tired of is all this homology junk. You can get really specific with the definition, but everywhere I find info on homology, what I gather is that it is the study of how things look alike (physically and genetically) in science. For instance, homology was observed by Charles Darwin when he studied finches and their beaks. I'm fine with that, my problem is that no evolutionist has ever explained how to get from point A to point B. How did one finch evolve into another? All I hear is, "through a series of mutations." Ok, what mutations? "Well, we have no way of knowing yet." Even if you do know what mutation took place, the mathmatical (don't forget, math is a science too) probablity of any beneficial mutation happening is atronomically rare. One type of science disputes another.

And then we go out and say there's enough evidence to call it a theory? I think that scientists (like Richard Dawkins) are so desperate to get rid of God that they've elevated evolution to a high pedastal. Gravity is known as a mystery, most scientists will gladly admit that there's a lot we don't know about gravity, but I don't hear it nearly as much with evolution.

Here's a quote from Albert Einstein (considered possibly the greatest scientist ever), "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." I think religion is ignorant for pushing aside science, and science is ignorant for pushing aside religion. There's good sides to both.

Answer 6

Which "theory" are we to believe? As I see it, everyone that has been put forward has holes in it. It takes a lot more faith to adhere to the various theories than it does to believe "In the beginning, God created".Man has yet to provide so much as a possible working model of how anything evolved from one kind of creature to another. If, and I say again, IF evolution is true, and considering the effects of our world, naturally, or induced from the things man has been doing, why have there been no throw backs of any creature to an earlier stage of development? We know that plant hybrids can return to a previous point of development, so why not any of the animal life? By these questions I refer to proven examples of a woman having given birth to a less developed human, or simian. A fish that has spawned a previous, lower scale evolutionary species that has been recognized by science as being truly real.
It would appear that your evidence is flawed, and your conclusions beliefs that you want to hold onto that have no scientific proof.

Answer 7

I would say it is worse to not understand what a scientific theory is. Without that basic understanding, the significance of something as complex as evolution cannot possibly be grasped. The gentleman who says you "twisted" the meaning of theory sums up his own misunderstanding very well.

Answer 8

Copernican Theory of the Solar System. Germ Theory of Disease. I think the "theory" thing is just an excuse. They don't believe in it because someone told them not to. I don't know why someone told them not to, though. They believe in witches, too, some of them. (Wiccans, not you, I mean the pretend kind of witches, that do black magic and/or sell their soul to the devil for arcane powers.)

There seems to be a lot of weirdness around -- crystals, astrology, numerology, feng shui, -- things that seem like good fun if you don't take them seriously, but people -work- to take them seriously!

Sorry, running on. By the way, I'm an Episcopalian, so I have my own beliefs, but they don't involve magic.

Answer 9

Evolution as 'natural selection' of existing genetic information is proven - no one of any intelligence disputes it.

What is a theory, however, is beneficial genetic mutations occurring that are an 'increase' of genetic information and then in turn are selected and passed on.
This has not been scientifically observed and would need to have happened billions of times for the GTE to be true.

Answer 10

The only thing you can prove with absolute proof is mathematical theories which is why they're called theorems (ie. Pythagorean's Theorem)

The only reason we can prove these theories is because math is a language humans invented and to deny mathematical theorems is to deny mathematics itself.

Answer 11

Evolution plays a very important role in the development of our spiritual nature.We are all on a long evolutionary journey towards becoming divine beings.Man himself is an emerging God and will reach the climax of his development millions of years from now in the seventh root race.