Atheists: What are your theories of evolution?

Question

What is your theory of how the universe was created, asuming that there is no such thing as God.

What do you think caused the Big Bang and what do you think happened during the Big Bang.

Religious and Spiritual individuals need not answer.

Rachel D,
In my experience religious people are very hypercritical, they are control freaks, and they want everyone to believe what they believe. Whenever we try to be individual we are criticise for it. Religious people are homophobic, against sex outside marriage against divorce. You are deluded and illogical. I think that pretty much covers it.

Answer 1

What do you want to talk about? Evolution or the origins of the universe? They are two very different subject that have little to do with one another.

Evolution, for example, says nothing about the Big Bang. And vice-versa.

I'll answer your first question because you asked it first.

I believe the Theory of Evolution to be one of the most useful, robust, and mature scientific theories out there. I see no reason to be sceptical of it because I can't see an upside to maintaining such a "fiction."

Creationists, on the other hand, have been well documented as liars and fabricators, (see the Dover trial for excellent examples of purgery from the Creationist side). They're even willing to misrepresent one of the laws of thermodynamics in an attempt to show evolution false. And organized religion has a rich history of supressing new scientific data.

Can you provide even one example of the scientific community ignoring observable data that contradicts a currently held belief? I can't - that's why Newton's theories were supplanted by Einstein's. And why we don't believe in aether anymore.

In short, only one side has any credibility. And if new evidence shows up which directly contradicts the TOE there will be hundreds of thousands of biologists who jump on it, eager to figure it out, form a new theory which is more inclusive, and have their name mentioned in the same breath as Einstein and Newton. And maybe Darwin.

Answer 2

I am not an atheist but I am anti-religious. As for spiritual - well that is another way of saying self-deceptive.

Gravity is an observed fact. It is not, repeat not, a theory. Theories of gravity have been developed to explain that observed fact, notably by Newton and then later by Einstein.

Evolution is an observed fact. It is not, repeat not, a theory. Theories of evolution have been developed to explain that observed fact, notably by Lamarck and then later by Darwin.

The big bang is an hypothetical event that has been proposed as an explanation for the observed behavior of the Universe. It has little connection with biological evolution except in so far as it set the initial conditions which formed a Universe in which biological evolution could occur.

Since it is the first event that can be described using physics as it is currently understood, it is not meaningful in a physical sense to ask what preceded that event.

This question is either meaningless, like the childish one about irresistible forces and immovable objects, or it is a theological question.

There is an important difference between physicists and theologians. There is a fairly large amount of well attested evidence, so most physicists are likely to agree that one theory or another might be a satisfactory explanation. This will be independent of any religion they may profess. Those holding a different theory may be excluded but there will be no calls that they be executed for heresy.

But the views of Muslim, Buddhist, Orthodox, Catholic and various Protestant theologians are likely to diverge quite a bit.
One of the reasons for this is that they have so very little evidence to work with, virtually none at all. Even economists have more evidence. Fortunately the rule of secular law has quietened the calls of the religious for execution of this or that person for heresy.

Answer 3

There are natural laws. If you do this and that, then one thing or another will happen. Science uses not only logic but tried and true testing in order to come closer to the truth. Science can, because of these natural laws make educated guesses. Now I do admit that evolution cannot be 100% proven but there is evidence, much evidence that leads us to believe that the logical conclusions are true. However with faith in a spiritual nature of any kind, there is no reasoning. It takes things like talking burning bushes, talking serpents, spiritual creatures co-habitating outside it's species, boats big enough to carry two of everything living, bodies disappearing and coming back to life, water turning into wine, a small amount of food feeding many, a realm outside our own where there is nothing but torture, man being constructed from dust and woman from the rib of a man and says that they have happened. These things don't happen today and outside one book, they have never happened. Surely science says that if these things could be true not only could they be replicated but at least they would be well documented by other accounts in a historical manner. But they aren't. This mighty boat hasn't even been found to authenticate one of the stories of the bible. It isn't like science hasn't spent a lot of time trying to prove that it was at least possible. So rather than having faith that it is true for no proof what so ever some choose to believe that it doesn't exist. But in truth you should be happy, at least science is trying to prove it for you. There are governments who thru blind faith that other goverments have wmds attack when there was no proof before and it's been proven since, that some ppl committed rape beyond a reasonable doubt spent decades in jail and it was proven later that they didn't do it and proven absolutely. You see there are things that science and investigation can prove and disprove, faith requires no proof whatsoever, only belief. Sometimes blindly believing without proof or indication can be tragically wrong. And some don't want to be wrong.

Answer 4

I know I am probably barking at the moon but....

You have asked a mouthful in some very short questions. Evolution has nothing to do the big bang. What went on during the big bang one could write volumes about and you would not have enough time in your life to read it.

I don't think anyone knows or even has a theory of what caused it.

As far as evolution, recently, it was announced that scientists had created a new species of bacteria in a test tube.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTksouFRHBx...

Evolution occurs by survival of the fittest. You probably know that some animals, like deer, fight to mate with females. The strongest one wins and his genes go on to procreate. Evolution occurs when some of the DNA is altered by a cosmic ray or some other stimulus. The altered DNA version then tries his luck at mating with the females. He is either stronger or he is not. The altered DNA may give the owner a small advantage of stamina or strength or vice versa.

Its easy to see the logic of it on how well it agrees with what we observe. Your religion's desire to confront scientific discoveries as against religion will likely be your demise.

Answer 5

Well, haven't you heard....science has proven "intelligent design." "Intelligent design" can be categorized however you'd like, but it means: an intelligent being CREATED everything. Nothing just happened. I'm not lying...I watched a documentary on it with interviews from some of the most intelligent scientist in the U.S. This isn't big news right now, because it's very new and recent, but I'll get you the cite to order the DVD. It's very interesting. And I'm not "religious or spiritual." That is a very vacant term...99% of the WORLD is "religious or spiritual." Almost everyone has a god that they "worship" And not everyone that proclaims to be a Christian is a weird fanatical, bible banging, hick. True Christians are very open and caring and non-judgemental. We're accepting and kind, And we are definitely not idiots. And there might have been a big bang. The universe went from non existence to light and earth and planets and solar systems and animals and water...etc etc etc. So, yea, there may have been a HUGE bang. And what happened was that God spoke. Why is that so much harder for people to believe than ..... it just...happened. From nothing. Out of nowhere.

Answer 6

(IMO)
Big Bang theory has it pretty much wrapped up. But as for a cause......realization of latent potential.

If there was absolutely nothing, ie pre-big bang/universe. then there would be no antecedent circumstances to impinge upon the likelihood af any particular possibility. There would in effect be infinite probability and infinite potential. With all of this in mind, the manifestation of one particular possibility, namely the Big Bang and our subsequent universal evolution, seems somewhat inevitable, along with any other number or realized potential existances.

With this theory the ultimate emergence of a coherent universe and the creation of life are reduced from amazingly incredibly unlikely to almost inevitable.

Just a thought

Answer 7

STUFF HAPPENS. Given an eternity, there is no limit to possibilities. Given that we primates are the current end product of random selection disrupted by chance catastrophes, why question the process?
Alllowing the chance that we don't self-destruct, we are just beginning to create a silicon-based life-form to extend our nervous systems up into space and down to nano dimensions. At what point does this life-form become autonomous and declare us obsolete? Hm?
To answer more directly, I assume there are neighboring dimensions visualized as membranes from our 3D view; at some point, an 'arc' occurred at some perturbation, with a near-instantaneous transfer of matter at BB, a bit more likely than creation springing from a single proton in a burst of energy.

Answer 8

Life came from a uncaused bang and became everything

hey! don't laugh ! life can start from nothing it happens all the time

one time I opened my wallet and there was money there!

no one put it there it just happened duh

and how dare you say that someone put it there
I believe in spontaneous generation but I call it evolution and you better go with what I believe or ill label you a crazy dogmatic Theist!


SARCASM...

Life does not come from non life nor does something come from nothing ... nothing is nothing and can do nothing so if there is nothing then why are you here?



Edit:


The Premise of Evolution can not ever happen if you don't first respond to where all began (the big bang)


its like me asking so how far did you fly when you were in the air?

Well first you have to explain how you got in the air first bad example I know but you get my point


how did we evolve?well the real question is who caused the big bang? That would hypothetically give us the ability to evolve ?


Any logical mind would know that Buildings don't just pop up magically they are built
so the same would go for the big bang ,The big bang is like a Firecracker it was first created and some one lit the fuse....

God in a way pull the trigger

p.s I don't believe in evolution just playing devils advocate

Answer 9

Okay. Here it is. First, god said let there be light. Boom!!! Big bang. THEN, there was earth. THEN, there was people. THEN, about 6,000 years passed. THEN, about 4,000 years passed. THEN, there was Jaysusa. THEN, 2,000 more years passed. THEN, there was Pat Robertson. THEN, the liberals tried to ruin it for everyone. THEN, some christians shot a doctor. And some muslims flew airplanes into buildings. And next came Y!A. Did I help? Did I make a good answer? (Hey, buddy. You tryin' to get me deleted by the christians. Email me. We can talk!)

Answer 10

I think a God could have existed, he's just gone now. God is a force. What makes anyone think he should last forever. Maybe he just lasted for an infinitely short period of time, which was just enough to start the universe. The rest takes care of itself.

Either that or there is a God and he's just a total asshole.