So our ancestors had beach balls!
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So our ancestors had beach balls!
CBC: Scientific community mobilizes defence of evolution
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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!
A newly discovered genetic mutation may explain Homo Floresiensis, which would make them normal humans.
http://anthropology.net/2008/01/08/i...the-pcnt-gene/
Why must science and religion be at constant odds, unable to come to grips with the fact they serve different purposes. I do not seek higher meaning, or moral guidance, from science, nor would I do seek to solve systems of equations with religion.
The truly perturbing aspect of the whole situation is that both sides lay claim to absolute truth. My way or the highway thinking. Human beliefs, theories, truths and absolutes are always rewritten, and refined, by the future generations. Our present scientific truths will seem rather quaint and hopelessly short-sighted by the thinking beings of the future, whatever they may be. The only thing which is certain is that whichever side you are on, you are wrong. Or, only partially correct, if you prefer.
Richard Dawkins' book, the Selfish Gene, was a critical revelation to me, decades ago. No one had ever explained the Theory of Evolution, its mechanics and processes, more clearly and logically to me. Yet, his total "devotion" to atheism, relegated him to the ranks of zealot and fanatic. Then again, he is only human, after all. :p
So are you a positivist, a relativist, a post-modernist or just confused?
I suppose that is part of what this thread is about. If we read back a bit, I think we will find that I once said that I did not believe (Roger) Bacon, Newton, Faraday, Einstein, etc. were atheists. Faraday was a church elder, I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by El_Squid
Einstein: "Quantum mechanics is certainly imposing. But an inner voice tells me that it is not yet the real thing. The theory says a lot, but does not really bring us any closer to the secret of the 'old one'. I, at any rate, am convinced that He [God] does not throw dice."
Somewhere I my readings of Jung I seem to recall Jung suggesting that the mystical/religious were so embedded in the human psyche that a push to the rational/scientific at their expense was not healthy and that there would be psychic backlash (I am not going to wade through boxes of books looking for the quote, though).
Yes! Yes! Yes! It goes beyond "perturbing" to the frightening. People who believe that they are possessors of the one and only TRUTH are scarey.Quote:
Originally Posted by El_Squid
Videmus nunc per speculum in enigmate!
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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
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Yes. Interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jediab
And there is this, too:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7290090.stm
And there is the theory that they became midgits over time in response to environmental constraints -- the same constraints that produced the pygmy elephants they hunted.
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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!
http://www.pibburns.com/augustin.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo
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http://forums.windrivers.com/images/.../2010/07/1.jpg
It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!
NooNoo, Mayet and others is the evolution debate an issue for people outside of North America? It is of less concern in Canada then it is in the US but still has a presence in public discourse. The Canadian NeoCons have learned to temper their fundamentalist views in public but the more radical elements from the west still push the debate.
And you are perfectly right to feel sane techguy13. God and I have discussed this whole issue at some length during his nightly phone calls, and He has assured me that the keystone of an ordered universe (which is of course a prerequisite for free will) is the operation of natural physical processes. These include, but are not limited to, evolution and quantum mechanics. He has always reassured me that I am no less his creation for being a product of natural laws that are an expression of His will, rather than a specific Act of the Divine Will.
True enough slgrieb. I never felt that evolution precluded the existence of a god. Evolution is concerned with the corporeal and at no time tries to account for the Promethean spark. I am curious as to whether this debate is primarily limited to North America.
There's a debate about evolution? Wouldn't know, I try to stay out of religion.
techguy, I believe this is pretty much an American fixation belonging to fundamentalist religious groups which all pretty much seem to worship the King James Bible, rather than God. The Roman Catholic Church accepts evolution as a natural law, and I think Islam and Judaism both generally have fewer conflicts between faith and science than many Christian sects. Of course this is almost by definition a non-issue for Hindus and Buddhists.
Naturally, right after I post this any number of people are going to jump out of the ground to rebuke me. But, hey, I live in the Bible Belt, so my religious views have made me thoroughly comfortable with confrontation. And my home county is about 97% Republican, too. I can take the heat.
http://www.creationmuseum.org/
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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!
http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/
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http://forums.windrivers.com/images/.../2010/07/1.jpg
It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!