The Phenomenon of Evolution
At some point in the development of Science, The Theory of Evolution became the accepted model of the origin of life. Not all scientists accept it, but most do. And the theory has become sacred to this majority of scientists - they will immediately discredit any who disagrees with it. And all analysis of collected data, fossils, geology, etc. is bent to fit Evolution - questioning Evolution is never considered or tolerated.
In my opinion, Evolution is more like fashion than science. One style goes out of favor to be replaced by another. It's a dynamic, emergent phenomenon - there is no central organization that decides what is fashionable - fashions vary from community to community. One radioactive dating method is embraced over another because it is supposedly much more accurate for some reason. The accepted dates of an event or ages of a set of fossils are pushed back a few million years in light of new evidence. New models of Natural Selection and mutation are devised in order to address flaws with the previously accepted models. New theories are devised in order to explain logical difficulties with these models. Like a girl wearing white after Labor Day, a researcher would be ridiculed for using the accepted models of 15 years ago. Why will today's models be accepted 15 years from now?
I do not believe that there is any major organized conspiracy involving Evolution - it is simply an emergent phenomenon like a cattle stampede or traffic jams.
In my opinion, Evolution is more like fashion than science. One style goes out of favor to be replaced by another. It's a dynamic, emergent phenomenon - there is no central organization that decides what is fashionable - fashions vary from community to community. One radioactive dating method is embraced over another because it is supposedly much more accurate for some reason. The accepted dates of an event or ages of a set of fossils are pushed back a few million years in light of new evidence. New models of Natural Selection and mutation are devised in order to address flaws with the previously accepted models. New theories are devised in order to explain logical difficulties with these models. Like a girl wearing white after Labor Day, a researcher would be ridiculed for using the accepted models of 15 years ago. Why will today's models be accepted 15 years from now?
I do not believe that there is any major organized conspiracy involving Evolution - it is simply an emergent phenomenon like a cattle stampede or traffic jams.
posted by phil at 8:57 PM
2 Comments:
"The accepted dates of an event or ages of a set of fossils are pushed back a few million years in light of new evidence. New models of Natural Selection and mutation are devised in order to address flaws with the previously accepted models. New theories are devised in order to explain logical difficulties with these models. "
This is how science works. Sceientists acknowledge that their data is never going to be complete, and that the universe doesn't come with a users manual. Theories are revised in the light of new data all the time.
"a researcher would be ridiculed for using the accepted models of 15 years ago. Why will today's models be accepted 15 years from now?"
A physisicist would be ridiculed for insisting that Newtonian physiscs is perfect in all situations, too. Proponents of ID are ridiculed for bringing up Darwin, Mendel and a lot of other out dated research for that very reason.
"I do not believe that there is any major organized conspiracy involving Evolution - it is simply an emergent phenomenon like a cattle stampede or traffic jams."
This could apply equally well to any religion.
While we're on the subject of emergent phenomenon, where do you stand on the mind. Cartesian mind/body dualism? Physicalism (this is the emergent phanomenon argument)? Something else?
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