Re: Evolutionhas been of no use to mankind...


Apeman wrote:
> NashtOn wrote:
> > ...in spite of all the fuss.
> >
> > It's just another postulate become dogma and ought to be taught as such
> > in schools. It's an insidious attempt by atheists to shove naturalism
> > down the throats of people, when there is really no need.
> >
> > It should alo be relegated as another theory that was wrongly espoused
> > by the scientific community and was accepted on the basis that the data
> > to support it would be found "some time in the future."
> >
> > I say to Universities: Concentrate on real science in the health
> > sciences, physics, mathematics, genetics and pull all your resources
> > together to advance knowledge in these spheres of knowledge that can
> > actually help mankind in a tangible way.
> >
> > And darwiniacs, spare me the crap about how teaching ID or creationism
> > will thwart in any way, shape or form, the ability of students to think
> > and to develop scientific minds. Most of the greatest discoveries and
> > advances were made by people who had to go to church on Sundays and
> > participate in prayer in their schools.
> >
> > If I hear this stupid, idiotic unsubstantiated argument that claims that
> > faith hinders scientific thought one more time, I'm going to be sick.
> >
> > Nicola
> The reason science is so useful is that faith is not part of the
> process. Unlike religion, it works because it is independent of what
> any individual believes - whether you accept or reject the atomic
> theory of matter is irrelevant - the computer you use and almost any
> designed object relies on the picture of material it provides.

Let's make a careful distinction. *Nature* is independent of what we
believe. Science, which is the process by which we come to understand
how nature works and how we describe its workings, is very much a human
endeavor. For all the talk about the scientific method, most of the
interesting, innovative work in science is done with only one hand
resting on the scientific method. Faith (the general term for belief in
something for which you have little or no evidence) certainnly drives
science. We would not be looking for symmetry, elegance and simplicity
in our next theory if it were not an article of faith that it should
have it. We would not be looking for a theory with no arbitrary
constants if it were not an article of faith that one exists.

So then, when it comes to teaching school children how to *do science*,
I believe this involves more than just teaching the facts of Nature as
we know them. I would much rather raise an excellent scientist that
knows fewer facts than a poor scientist that knows more facts.

PD

> Evolution, too, is indifferent to your faith in it. We evolved from a
> common ancestor as did every living on earth. It explains the observed
> facts and makes predictions which have proved consistently true. No
> other "theory" can do this (with the trivial counter-example of the
> "god created life to look as if it evolved" argument).
> As for its usefulness - well, there is cell biology, virology,
> genetics, eco-geography....no doubt others will add more examples. If
> you are diabetic, for example, your insulin supply will be made by
> bacteria, genetically engineered by scientists who use the evolutionary
> model.
> The problem for you religious anti-evoultionists (is there any other
> type?)is that you reject the conclusions of evolutionary theory purely
> because you don't believe that God could have made us that way. Well,
> he did. Deal with it, and let science get on with its entirely
> fact-based work. It may, probably will, save your life one day - be
> grateful (though it will postpone your date with your creator!)

.

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