Darwin

**Breedingvariety** · 01-02-2011, 09:31 PM

Loddfafner, what is your point? If you don't mind to state it.

**Loddfafner** · 01-02-2011, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Breedingvariety

Loddfafner, what is your point? If you don't mind to state it.

Are you asking about the point of this thread, or are you asking for clarification of any particular point I made in the thread?

**Psychonaut** · 01-02-2011, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by Loddfafner

To play the devil's advocate (no irony intended), isn't there something highly unusual about one species overrunning the entire planet and kickstarting an entire geological epoch? Normally, new predators should evolve to take advantage of such an abundant food source. I take this, though, as stronger evidence for the anthropic principle rather than for the literal truth of some ancient creation myth.

I will tentatively agree that it is indicative of the anthropic principle being true in a sense. If taken as evidence that there is an overmind consciously developing the universe so that lesser minds may emerge, then I will not at all agree. If however, it is taken that all the world is in possession of a mind-like quality and that the nature of mind is to create, expand and grow then I can agree—as would Eddington, Jeans, Schrödinger, and Bohm. They key is whether the evolutionary impetus for progress is viewed as internal or external. The former was endorsed by nearly all of the developers of contemporary physics and is quite common among cosmologists today. The latter is only taken seriously by those with an obvious agenda.

**Loki** · 01-04-2011, 08:25 PM

Coincidentally, I have just this afternoon read through a few Wikipedia pages on evolution - and the Objections to evolution page was quite intriguing. What fascinated me most was the level of support that creationism - and in particular Young Earth Creationism - has in America.

Yes, that's right. 44% of Americans believe that the earth is at most around 10,000 years old. 16% of Americans believe that only creationism should be taught in schools, not even alongside evolution in science/biology classes. Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is also a creationist.

As of 2008 a Gallup poll indicated that 36% of US adults agreed with the statement "human beings developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process.", 14% believed that "Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process." and 44% of US adults agreed with the statement "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so."

**~~Vasconcelos~~** · 01-04-2011, 08:32 PM

**Óttar** · 01-04-2011, 08:37 PM

Does anyone know how the European pig, after being left to breed and conquer the Americas, developed an aggressive feral nature, and even evolved tusks? 8 pigs from Spain eventually became thousands and spread out all over the Americas.

**~~Joe McCarthy~~** · 01-04-2011, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Loki

Coincidentally, I have just this afternoon read through a few Wikipedia pages on evolution - and the Objections to evolution page was quite intriguing. What fascinated me most was the level of support that creationism - and in particular Young Earth Creationism - has in America.

Yes, that's right. 44% of Americans believe that the earth is at most around 10,000 years old. 16% of Americans believe that only creationism should be taught in schools, not even alongside evolution in science/biology classes. Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is also a creationist.

That's a byproduct of America being more religious than Europe. Those same people tend to be the most active in opposition to immigration. If Europe had them, the chances of it being overrun by Islam would be, um, less.

The converse of having religious fundamentalists seems to be things like sex toys in grocery store checkout lines. I can't speak for others, but I know which one I prefer.

**Loki** · 01-04-2011, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Joe McCarthy

The converse of having religious fundamentalists seems to be things like sex toys in grocery store checkout lines.

Religious fundamentalists like having sex toys in grocery stores?

I can't speak for others, but I know which one I prefer.

The dildo???

I obviously understood you wrong, please explain.

**Loddfafner** · 01-04-2011, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Óttar

Does anyone know how the European pig, after being left to breed and conquer the Americas, developed an aggressive feral nature, and even evolved tusks? 8 pigs from Spain eventually became thousands and spread out all over the Americas.

Yes. They figure prominently in family legend and I've got a skull of one sitting on top of my Darwin shelf.

Originally Posted by Loki

Religious fundamentalists like having sex toys in grocery stores?

I think there is actually a correlation. I bet there are more adult bookstores per square mile in regions with a high concentration of Christian fundamentalists than in areas thick with secularist liberals. All that preaching only intensifies the lure of the forbidden.

**~~Joe McCarthy~~** · 01-04-2011, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Loki
Religious fundamentalists like having sex toys in grocery stores?

The converse is true.

The dildo???

I obviously understood you wrong, please explain.

Well, this opens up a new can of worms really as it deals with the social effects of Darwinism. Though I consider myself a Darwinist, I can't say that he's had a good effect on our society, as his contribution to the Death of God has led to a loss of our Christian identity, which was our identity for hundreds of years. This loss of identity has not been helpful as it's been replaced by nihilism.