Re: Micro and Macro Evolution ?


Duncan Moore wrote:
> The Theory of Evolution can be divided into two parts,
> micro-evolution and macro-evolution. Micro-evolution
> deals with small changes within a species which adapt
> that species to be better suited to its environment.
> This process is well supported with scientific
> evidence and doesn't conflict with a Christian
> understanding of reality.
>
> Macro-evolution claims that through major genetic
> mutations one species can evolve into another, so over
> a long period of time fish could evolve into insects,
> birds and mammals. From this concept it's suggested
> that all life could have evolved from simple chemical
> structures, thus life could have resulted from natural
> processes without the need for a creator.
>
> Macro-evolution is highly contentious and its more
> extreme interpretations challenge conventional
> Christian thinking. It's sometimes suggested that God
> chose to create life through evolution, however,
> there's now a weighty and growing body of both
> scientific and philosophical evidence that discredits
> macro-evolution. This article very briefly surveys
> that evidence.
>
> http://everystudent.com/wires/evolution.html

>Firstly, there's the question of how life itself originally got started.
>The theory of macro-evolution suggests how to develop from one species to
>another, but it can't explain how to jump from no life to life or from
>unconscious to conscious.

Insofar as this is a problem for "macroevolution", it is also a problem
for "microevolution", as that obviously can't explain the origin of
life either.

>However, the fossil records do not show life evolving from one species to >another. On the contrary, there's a notable absence of any fossils of species
>at intermediate stages of evolution. Further, there aren't obvious
>intermediate species around today. The problem of the lack of evidence
>for transition between species is known as the Missing Link.

Also a problem for microevolution; where are the evolutionary
intermediaries between, say, Australians and Africans or Eurasians?
Hybrids don't count, of course.

>Creation vs. evolution - Geology and the history of Earth
>Macro-evolution is understood to be a very slow process, random mutations
>taking place and becoming established over long periods of time. From
>developments in Geology and Earth Sciences, the window of history where
>conditions suitable for evolution have existed has become shorter and shorter.

Yeah; it used to be 4.5 billion years, and now it's only 4 billion...

.

Relevant Pages

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