Evolution, Fact Or Theory?

Question

True science states that in order for a theory to become a fact, it must be reproduced in a lad successfully many times over. Since noone was there in the beginning to record the exact conditions, any experiments must be based on unproven speculation. Therefore, the theory of evolution, is a faith based religion ( Humanism ), just as the theory of creation is. What is your response to this statment, and please show your reasons.

Answer 1

You have a simplistic view of theory and science. The truth of the many facets of evolutionary theory is question of science. Microevolution is well supported by evidence, including experimentation. You can get a lot of generations of fruit fly during the lifespan of a human scientist. So far, I think the evidence for macroevolution is weak, but I'm taking a fresh look at the offered evidence. If the evidence isn't there, then you are correct, acceptance of macroevolution in the absence of evidence is indeed a step of faith. Note the 'if'.

You must also reject all of cosmology, since it also is rather difficult to reproduce in a laboratory. Your homework assignment for tonight is to create a universe with a strong force 2% stronger than ours, and see if you really get a stable Helium-2 isotope.

Answer 2

Actually, no. Science says nothing of the sort. You don't do that with astronomy, cosmology, archeology, palentology, forensic science, or many other perfectly good sciences.

No, of course they aren't 'unproven speculation'. We have a very good idea of how the universe works. That's what provided you with a computer, cell phone, car, and microwave. And we can say 'well, if it worked this way, what would we expect to see as a result'. That's how it works.

Evolution is actually one of those sciences that CAN be reproduced in a lab, and has been on small scales. You've said nothing here that shows evolution can't be tested, or that it has anything in common with magic.

Looks like you're just trying to justify a view you hold for no good reason. Maybe you should just realize that there's no good reason for having it in the first place.

Oh, and in science, there's no 'fact or theory'. Theories CONTAIN facts. That's like saying 'car or engine'. The car contains the engine. Theories tell you not only WHAT will happen by WHY it happens. Try taking a few more science classes; you missed a lot of it.

Answer 3

Evolution supposedly isn't fact simply because there isn't enough evidence that physically prove that species evolve. But what people need to remember is that everything that dies doesn't create a fossil, so just because we haven't found every step of evolution (like the missing link) doesn't mean it never happened.

We have only found a few thousand full dinosaur fossils so how can we make assumptions that there were millions of them who roamed the earth? The idea that dinosaurs ruled the earth is just a "theory" based on a few fossils. Right? Just because there is no physical evidence doesn't mean that it never was.

Let's take the evolution of dog breeds. Do we have physical fossil proof of these dogs evolving into these different breeds? Do we have a complete fossil record of how a wolf turned into a chihuahua? NO. So does this debunk the idea that humans bred dogs, no because we were here for it. SO what's the difference if that happens naturally?

What I am saying is just because we don't have "proof" that humans evolved from apes or that all mammals have a commons ancestor doesn't mean it never happen. But the beautiful thing is our minds which lead us to technology like DNA testing that show us what we are looking for. That's your proof there. We share over 99% of our DNA with Chimps and Bonobos and they share more genes with us than with Gorillas (meaning that they are closer to us than Gorillas). I think that says a lot.

We need to get out of thinking in terms of fact or fiction, right or wrong, up and down, black and white because life is about the gradient.

MORE THAN ANYTHING we should be focused on loving each other, respecting animals and honoring this planet.

Answer 4

Evolution is both fact and Theory.

Your argument about theory becoming fact is not correct...an idea is ALREADY a fact b4 it becomes a Theory which is a set of general rules to explain why all the facts of an area work as they do.

Your idea that lab is needed is also false...that is same way as saying that police cannot figure anything out in any way about a crime unless a living person witnessed entire event and reported it verbatim to police.....any police officer would tell you that is complete BS.

Labs are better because they allow you control over all the factors so you can limit the variables in a way conductive to your study but that is in no way at all, by any definition, the only way science works....until you understand how it works the answer would be meaningless to you but here we go.

Evidence is collected in fossils, remains, dating of the evidence, DNA, etc which is collected. Now ALL life, in every single form across the ENTIRE planet has DNA and made of the same 4 proteins...which is evidence that, with all the proteins there are in existance comapred to only 4 being in DNA, al llife has a common root. The evidence is researched and classified and as we learn more we can see the footprint of each life form as it changes to adapt to enviornment. All these facts put together lead to one conclusion with any degree of security and reason...that life has evolved from simpler to more complex species via natural selection.

Hence Theory of Evolution has nothing to do with faith, but evidence and has nothing to do with religion at all in any way currently or previously defined by any language.

Creationism is in no way a Theory as science classifies the term....as we are debating science then it is science's rules we follow..not the bible's. So Creationism is a hypothesis at best but by its very definition there is no evidence, or way to analyse anything about it...hence it is not science and so not a Theory.


To sum up....If I was in a room with 4 people and no one else for miles and my wallet gets stolen...I could say God did it or I could look at the 4 other people and wonder if one of them took it since no one else was around and wallets do not move themselves. Now if I go with the people stealing it I can further narrow down based on each person's proximity, ability and personality. If I have enough information I could predict which person took my wallet......or I could just assume it turned to air via God's power.
One is reasonable and based on real data from the natural world....the other is an idea based on supernatural whim.

So they are hardly the same thing


Pilgrim> You don't seem to understand what a Theory is or what Evolution really says.

Answer 5

it particularly is a hoax. "yet in basic terms while used interior the context of a dogs producing yet another dogs as an occasion. this is been stated in nature, and in laboratories which you will produce greater breeds interior a species. That makes 'evolution' a actuality." it particularly is a sort producing a similar style, which the Bible states through fact the organic order of issues. once you provides irrefutable data of a dogs starting to be a cat, a reptile starting to be a chook, a whale starting to be a cow, or a primate starting to be a human, then you will have floor to stand on. it particularly is obviously no longer "undeniable, shown actuality", in any different case there does not be any argument over it. Gravity is a shown actuality, we drop something, it hits the floor, time after time. this is been stated, examined, retested and falsified. Evolution can't face up to any of those scientific exams. Evolution is a philosophy, a concept equipment, a international view, merely like creationism. all of us have a similar data, it particularly is an argument of the translation of that data. merely screaming, "it particularly is a actuality!" does not make it so.

Answer 6

Complete BS. In science, "theory" and "fact" aren't leves of heirarchy, they're completely different things. A scientific theory is basically an explanation of what's going on in in the phenomena it relates to. A fact is merely something that can be expressed as mathematically true. You need to learn about scientific (and, hell even mundane) terminology before you start going around claiming things on par with saying that a dog is just a bigger cat.

Oh and hey, I'll be copy & pasting this into the other instance of the same question.

Answer 7

completely agree ... the use of the word "evolution" in this context is generally just a contraction of more accurate phrase "the theory of evolution".

even if you believe evolution is the correct explanation for the development of life on earth, that still does not make it a fact. a fact is something that can be defined or agreed beyond doubt ... and evolution leaves a lot of legitimate room for doubt. (no arguement about what we may or may not discover later on removes that doubt as it exists today ... and some people might be willing to believe a lot more without proof but that takes us out of the realm of science and into the realm of religion)

a theory is just a plausable explanation (or interpretation) of a collection of facts which can be proven or disproven by a experiments designed to test it. show me a convincing experiment which proves macroscopic (versus microscopic) evolution based on any process of mutation and selection (natural or otherwise) that leads to the diversity of life as we know it, and I will eat my words. the theory of evolution cannot be demonstrated by experiment and therefore rightly deserves to be labelled a theory because it does provide some plausible arguements to explain what we observe (just as quantum mechanics is a very good theory because it does produce prediction in very, very close agreement with experiments) but it is by no means a fact.

Just for the record, I am skeptical from a scientific perspective on the theory of evolution ... in my opinion it has simplicity as its main strength. it is by no means complete or without contradicting facts (and throwing up the arguement that mutations are random and so the difficult discrepancies we find are just the result of chance is not as convincing as it might seem at first glance). we have difficulties studying things on very different length and time scales than those in our daily lives ... and evolution is a very good example of the later. just remember how by studying things moving very fast and things very small, the theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics came into being ... our simple intuitive notions were no longer valid under these conditions

Answer 8

In true science nothing will be stated as fact. A theory is as close as you can get to fact. With current knowledge and technology, there is no reason for someone to have been around to record the exact conditions. Nature leaves evidence for us to study. With the overwhelming amount of evidence supporting evolution, no amount of faith is necessary. Every biological science relies on its principles.

For more info on macroevolution please vistit this link.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/ht/qt/3416_05.html

Answer 9

There is evidence, although not the type you want, like the first living creature or organism or cell. However, the evolution of animals alive today has been observed in the lab

Answer 10

Fact.
Have a close look at Bush. I am sure you will see the primate resemblance in his face.