Spore and the debate on evolution

[OwenEdwards]

Ah you never know whats going to piss off the christian community next. The Golden Compass got attacked cause there were some animals that were actually shapeshifting "demons" and apparently that really got em riled, but they don't seem to mind evolution in this game (I will NOT refer to it as a theory.) Maybe it's because the player starts it off which supports the Intelligent Design theory but maybe they just havn't found it yet.

No, the problem with Golden Compass to the only-half-rabid fundies was that Pullman discusses, in detail, the assassination of God.

As for evolution - no, it is a theory. Please apply scientific standards if you are going to pin your flag to the science pole. Evolution is almost certainly somewhere near the truth (we have much to learn on it), but it is not "proven" in the true sense of that word.

 

[Aries_Split]

Did you know that in Japanese Culture a Demon simply refers to anything not on our plane of existence. They aren't inherently evil.

 

[OwenEdwards]

Oh thanks Aries_Split. Thanks for your information.

 

[MISS HAVISHAM]

Spore has every right to start an argument already- I only got a shot at the ten-dollar creature creator and if it hadn't been such an enormous amount of highly-addictive, brain-melting fun I'd argue either side. The fact that people take times changing to mean that we have to protect everything we have as if every new technology is trying to rob us of it is sure as Hell not gonna get in the way of this game and all the glory I hope will ensue.

It had better be the blasty-blast I'm expecting and if that makes me a heathen then that's just fine. UNH.

 

[Zixinus]

I myself find atheists with a sense of superiority to those with faith claiming religion to be ignorant and foolish to be just as close-minded and stupid as those that take the bible literally and use it to hate brown people and science.

You haven't really met or even heard much fundies, have you?

Bragging that you have no faith whatsoever seems to me like a very sad thing. Not to say that atheism is at all bad, I just don't like the smugness it seems to give those select few loud jerks out there.

Self-contradictory much?

For the record, I don't observe any particular religion.

What?

Don't you mean "practise"? Tell me, are you lying in order to appear as a neutral party in order to gain authority?

Yep! I'm one of those guys that can't make up their minds.

They are called Agnostics, people who are uncertain of their theism. They are also called cowards, by both sides.

As for evolution - no, it is a theory. Please apply scientific standards if you are going to pin your flag to the science pole. Evolution is almost certainly somewhere near the truth (we have much to learn on it), but it is not "proven" in the true sense of that word.

It is not only proven but also goes beyond your idea of proof. Any competent biologist can tell you several studies, experiments and simple examples of evolution happening.

You are also ignorant of the word "theory" means in a scientific context. I have already cleared what that is, in a few posts back. I will not repeat myself.

 

[Aries_Split]

Pantheism for the win.

 

[mrnelsby]

Yeah, the antispore site is just hilarious...

 

[Graustein]

Yep! I'm one of those guys that can't make up their minds.

They are called Agnostics, people who are uncertain of their theism. They are also called cowards, by both sides.

Only by those who don't know what agnosticism actually is.
Agnosticism isn't "I can't decide", lots of agnostics can decide. Agnosticism is "Insufficient data, conclusion impossible", and is just as often "Insufficient data, conclusion impossible, but this is what I think"

That doesn't mean they don't believe either way, it just means they know it's impossible (at least right now) for us to know conclusively

 

[yourkie1921]

I myself find atheists with a sense of superiority to those with faith claiming religion to be ignorant and foolish to be just as close-minded and stupid as those that take the bible literally and use it to hate brown people and science.

Bull, if you told me that the moon revolves around pluto I'd call you a jackass, does that make me close minded.

By the way, that antispore site is awesome

 

[Tanner fool]

dude
are complaining that nobody is complaining?
cause
1:thats hypocritical
2: thats lame
3:why?

 

[Metal.Crue]

Why does everyone automatically assume that everybody else is Christian? And what ever happened to them being 'tolerant'?

Do they just assume that since they're the biggest religion that they can do whatever they want?

 

[Sardonac]

... but they don't seem to mind evolution in this game (I will NOT refer to it as a theory.) ...

But a "theory" is exactly what evolution is. It is the highest honor that can be handed to anything in science. Other examples are the "theories" of thermodynamics and gravity. The only thing higher on the hierarchy of science is the realm of mathematics.

Sorry to be a nut but I think you got one bit wrong here. The law of gravity is a law of physics which is actually a rather weak epithet for a concept to have. A law, by definition, is a widely observed effect within the physical world. There have been efforts to explain gravity (Newton, Einstein being the major ones) but it is still not have the same amount/kind of empirical evidence as evolution.

At least according to my astronomy textbook.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

The Bible is allegoric, "let there be light" is the big bang, the 6 days of creation are not days in our concept, they're God's term, they can be thought of as the time evolution lasted to take it's course and produce humans. Science and religion go hand in hand, it's not one or the other like politicians need it to be to get distinct voting groups.


People who take the bible literally are idiots.

Did you know that in Japanese Culture a Demon simply refers to anything not on our plane of existence. They aren't inherently evil.

Oni are generally mischievous, not nearly as evil as in Christianity but not good of course. Still there's a few really really bad ones like yamato no orochi.

 

[OwenEdwards]

As for evolution - no, it is a theory. Please apply scientific standards if you are going to pin your flag to the science pole. Evolution is almost certainly somewhere near the truth (we have much to learn on it), but it is not "proven" in the true sense of that word.

It is not only proven but also goes beyond your idea of proof. Any competent biologist can tell you several studies, experiments and simple examples of evolution happening.

You are also ignorant of the word "theory" means in a scientific context. I have already cleared what that is, in a few posts back. I will not repeat myself.

Well don't worry, I won't ask you to repeat yourself.

I'll be sure to query every professor who's ever taught me about animal evolutionary biology and behaviour then, right? Sigh.

One would not choose to state it as, as it were, a "law" (small l, not big l), as the definitions and processes are still developing in our understanding. Of course ne fule no that the idea is sound - we've seen demonstrated (I'd say as far back as Mendel - seeing the development in genetics in those experiments demonstrates the plan is sound). It is not a hypothesis anymore, hasn't been for forever, but our general understanding is still theoretical. I'd say in 50 years time we can promote it.

Until then, stop being a ****.