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I apologise if this is lengthy –

Different animals possess different eyes that have evolved separately, and for many functions. Simple eyes in some animals such as flatworms only distinguish between light and dark. It can then be speculated that over time a simple eye such as that of a flatworm benefitted the individual with an extra genetic mutation causing that eye to dip inwards, over time this was exaggerated and formed a lens, which could focus light and enable recognition of movement, and so to avoid predators. Many different eyes can be seen in the animal kingdom, all imperfect and serving different functions. Some creatures only need to be able to distinguish light from dark, so as to hide or regulate daily cycles. Then again, some creatures don’t even need to see at all. They use other senses to find food. An eye wouldn’t have first evolved to directly find food, but possibly for creatures that needed sunlight to generate food. Imagine a pond of algae. If a new algae evolved and was able to swim towards light then it would have more food and therefore better reproductive success than an algae which didn’t know which direction light was.

All animals, even us, are technically ‘trans-animals’, evolution is happening all the time. At some periods in time it has happened faster (we can tell from the fossils – punctuated equilibrium theory), and so species can transform relatively quickly based on specific environmental changes. Many transitional fossils exist, it’s just that they require study of many particular bones, and studying the similarity between them to realise what they are. It’s actually not that interesting, but we can see how reptiles bones are similar to birds, and how front legs became adapted first for probably gliding, and then later, flight (archaeopteryx). Also we can see that fins eventually became our hands (tiktaalik and other fish/amphibian-like fossils). Only a tiny fraction of fossils can survive so we have to piece together the most likely picture based on the little evidence we have. If we find anything at all that refutes a theory, the theory has to be changed to incorporate the evidence or scrapped.

However, it is worth noting that ‘theory’ in science has a different meaning to the term in common usage. A scientific theory IS based on evidence (as opposed to a hypothesis which is yet to look at evidence). And if the evidence disagrees the theory is changed. This is the closest we can ever get to a ‘fact’ or ‘proven’ – consistency with a theory (scientists don’t like to say proven because they could learn new things in the future). If gravity failed tomorrow then the theory of gravity would have to be rewritten. Notice it is also called a theory, but we still accept it as ‘true’, because the evidence fits. So we base our theories on evidence, and say that ‘in all probability this is true’, but generally its easier just tend to say ‘true’. It’s all a bit like an episode of CSI, find evidence, make a theory and then change it as we find newer evidence, so we can eventually get towards the truth. So it is kind of silly to say ‘it’s only a theory’, because in science-our toolkit for understanding the world, theories are all we have.

I’m not fond of the general misconception that science is an authority figure, it’s a collective effort of thousands (or millions) of people in the world searching for ‘truths’ (probability of truths). If evidence disagrees with something, then many scientists hurriedly write papers to discover why. If they are wrong then their peers tell them, if they commit fraud they lose their career. So it is not generally possible to cover up evidence or change truths.

The great thing is that scientists disagree with each other all the time, provoking further questions of our theories, so they get better all the time. The work is available for anyone to read and debate over. Anyone can disagree, but there are ‘truths’ in there to be understood. Some of them can take a great deal of work to understand, and some things we (as in no-one in the world) are nowhere near understanding. But as science is collective and theories change over time based on new evidence, we can be sure that as each year goes by, the probability of us arriving at the correct ‘truth’ increases, as we use this evidence to correct mistakes that theories have made.

I think that this method of always questioning what we know can be applied to all aspects of life and our beliefs. Does this herbal medicine actually work? Why? How do we actually KNOW? Am I just believing it because other people SAY so? Or because of some evidence?

-Sorry for the ramble. I don’t mean to sound condescending in this – I have no idea if you’ve encountered these ideas before, so I just wrote it all down.

cosmology gets a certain amount of commercial exposure because it is interesting enough that tv shows like horizon on bbc can make a show about an issue in cosmology and people will watch it. i am not saying that evolutionary science is not interesting, even to the layman, but a documentary like this would not be widely viewed, perhaps not even made if it did not relate to such a contentious issue. someone asked me the other day if i thought intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution in biology classes, and i said ‘why would you ask me? you know i’m not a biologist’ i appriciate that this is not an issue for biologists because intelligent design does not really/remotely qualify as science but, my point was/is people weigh in on this ‘issue’ (like with the trial in the states with the school board) when they have nothing real to say about it. it will seem like an obvious point to your average reasonable person, simply that u ought not to weigh in on an issue that you have no understanding of but, the reality is that we tolerate this systemically to a certain extent. bluntly (as i am tired of typing) anyone who comes forward and says we ought to teach creationism alongside evolution, should be marginalised/ignored in the same way as we would ignore someone who says we ought to teach alchemy alongside chemistry, or says we shouldn’t drink coke because it is made of sentient navy faries, and each sip kills millions of them

I watched few writings from your blog, also have saved your RSS feed during the previous months and I found a constant improvement of style.
Wonderfull job.

We see examples of evolution all the time (islands where birds have lost flight in a short space of time because of lack of predators and food on the ground).

You have to remember that evolution “eliminates” all forms that do can not compete, which suggests that dramatically improved species would eliminate others quickly. For example placental mammals killing of marsupials.

Many evolutionists suggest that even humans are transitional, even though evolution is slowed (if not eliminated) because we often interfere with any selection processes.

As for myself, I have a genetic mutation which leads to something called Marfan Syndrome. I tower over my tiny parents, have an enormous seven foot arm span, and a shitty arorta which will likely remove me from the “loop” earlier than the rest. Evolution in action, or you could say god is punishing me for my parent’s sin, or even claim I am part of some invisible plan. Which I think is shyte.

Ever had a cold? Ever had more than one cold? Had the flu more than once? Then you yourself have experienced, tasted and live EVOLUTION.

And as far as reconciling evolutionary history with your fairy tales; god created earth and the dinosaurs first huh? Haha, sounds like you’re wasting your time worshiping someone who likes lizards more then you, monkeyboy.

Religion is the cancer, AIDS, and SIDS of the masses. Down with child raping, woman-hating intolerant MAN-MADE belief systems!

Considering you don’t even know the definition of a scientific theory you just proved how unfunded and ignorant your opinion is.

gravity is not a theory, its a law

Hahahahha I can’t help but laugh at the simplistic logic of the creationists’ theories. It felt like I was reading questions from a 5 year old.

SO let me put this as simple as I can:

Humans are no longer evolving because we have changed our environment to suit us. Due to our altruistic nature of caring for others (through welfare, life saving medication, caring of the disabled, etc) we have good and bad genes mixed throughout the population – so much so that no major single attribute will be passed on to the masses (though stupidity seems to be a common trait these days). When animals reach a stage where they are on top of the food chain, they do not need to evolve anymore – think crocs and sharks (they haven’t changed much from their ancestors).

As time passes, scientists are finding more and more ‘transitional fossils’ – like Australopithecus Sediba. Evolution is all around us. Transitional fossils will be found, it’s not a matter of if, but when. Time and technology will eventually make a mockery of religion – it already has but obviously someone didn’t pay enough attention in biology. To claim that evolution does not exist is comparable to saying the wind are spirits and ghosts that hover and fly around us.

Single organisms started out reproducing by dividing itself into sister cells. All it takes is one mutation of that cell for it to change and slowly evolve to become a multi-cell organism. All this takes time and random events for it to occur. Not by magic but through trial and error, generations upon generations. Obviously there would have been millions of variations and those who are not successful (die or get eaten) will not pass on their genes so the stronger ones flourished. This doesn’t require intelligence, it was trial and error (thus ‘survival of the fittest’) over hundreds of millions of years. If you look at nature, the accomplishments you see all around you is the product of every species trying to survive.

I have nothing against religion, but I find those religious fundamentalists terribly ignorant when they try to force their ideals and beliefs onto others. Particularly those who try to trash science even though scientific evidence have been put under scrutiny, tested, reviewed and proven to be REAL. Those people are no different from sheep, blinded by religious fever, believes the tooth fairy is real and can’t think for themselves. Every time people test the theory of religion, it breaks down, there are holes and there are almost no physical proof. They live and witness the results of evolution all around them and yet they sit there covering their ears while singing ‘la la la la I can’t hear you’ when someone from the scientific community offers them a different point of view. Just because you don’t understand something or if it’s different, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

If you love your religion so much, why don’t you do some proper research to see it’s dark history. All religions were created by man and man himself has flaws. What you’re practicing are ideals from a few thousand years ago when men were ignorant of things they couldn’t explain so they sought to answer them via some deity bigger than themselves. Religion is used by the powerful few to control the masses. The common thread among most religions is “our way or the high way” which means any other theory or other religion that’s not like our own is bad – you will go to hell so don’t question anything we write, say or do. The Christian bible was written by some dudes who hand picked what they liked or didn’t like from various scripts. How about the Crusades, the Popes in the past who had mistresses and wives, the slaughtering of innocent ‘non-believers’ and witch hunts all in the name of God (sound familiar?). How about the present day molestering of children by priests? Can’t even keep children safe by taking them to church! I don’t think those pedophile priests are going to St Peter’s pearly gates! Goes to show that just because you’re religious, doesn’t mean you’re a good person (the irony).

If you want to poke holes, religion has plenty more holes to show than main stream science.

I have watched this several times. It is well done.

This link is from Berkeley University:

“The theory of evolution, formalized by Charles Darwin, is as much theory as is the theory of gravity, or the theory of relativity.”

(http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/evotheory.html)

Well, does gravity exist? Can you see/feel the theory of gravity in practice? It’s a theory, right?!