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Read up on Popper.

Posted by: Gideon Hallett ( UK ) on November 15, 1999 at 22:11:42:

In Reply to: It is absolutely correct... until you begin describing evolution as scientific. posted by Gotch on November 15, 1999 at 21:40:39:

: Wow! That's quite an argument, Gideon, and very well put. It is absolutely correct... until you begin describing evolution as scientific. Since science must be observable -- evolution as it pertains to the origin of the earth, universe, life, etc. -- cannot be science. All we can do is observe things as they presently are (or refer to things written before by those who lived and observed in time periods earlier than ours.

Partially correct. We can only observe the evolution of things over human lifespans. Evolution is an iterative process which takes many thousands of years to provide macroevolutionary changes; but bacterial mutation and evolution has been observed; see here.

However, this is missing the point of my statement.

Evolution is falsifiable; you could design an experiment that invalidated the theory of evolution; that blew it out of the water; therefore, by Karl Popper's criteria, evolution is a scientific theory.

Flat-Earthism is also a scientific theory; albeit a primitive one!; you can prove whether the Earth is flat by trying to circumnavigate or leave it; if you can, the theory is simply wrong. No bones about it.
It's either right or wrong.

You can never prove that the Creation didn't happen; because it was a) a singular event and b) a metaphysical event. It either happened or it didn't; you can't devise any experiment that would tell you one way or the other and thus it is not scientific; it is a matter of faith.

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: You refer to evolution as being an on-going process. In what way? When is the last time that a cat had anything other than a kitten?

Well, there have been the development of over 100 different breeds of cat in the last century; this was human-assisted rather than natural, and isn't speciation as such but it proves that significant genetic mutation can happen in small timescales if forced.

: When did a bacterium ever divide into something than two bacteria?

Again, if you go here you should find your answer; there are at least 4 well-known examples in recent history; including bacterial speciation that took place in just 14 years.

: What evolutionist call evolution today is, in fact, devolution. Can you "prove" that there has ever been the addition of NEW genetic material as a result of a mutation or other "evolutionary" development?

Can you prove you have a heart? There is certainly some supporting evidence to suggest that you do, but the ultimate proof is not something you can ever give yourself. There is actually plenty of evidence to support evolution, even if anything larger than a fruit fly (Drosophila, in the given example) takes centuries to mutate.

Gideon.



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