This is taken from the Talk-Origins.org FAQ: Calling the theory of evolution "only a theory" is, strictly speaking, true, but the idea it tries to convey is completely wrong. The argument rests on a confusion between what "theory" means in informal usage and in a scientific context. A theory, in the scientific sense, is "a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena" [Random House American College Dictionary]. The term does not imply tentativeness or lack of certainty. Generally speaking, scientific theories differ from scientific laws only in that laws can be expressed more tersely. Being a theory implies self-consistency, agreement with observations, and usefulness. (Creationism fails to be a theory mainly because of the last point; it makes few or no specific claims about what we would expect to find, so it can't be used for anything. When it does make falsifiable predictions, they prove to be false.)
Lack of proof isn't a weakness, either. On the contrary, claiming infallibility for one's conclusions is a sign of hubris. Nothing in the real world has ever been rigorously proved, or ever will be. Proof, in the mathematical sense, is possible only if you have the luxury of defining the universe you're operating in. In the real world, we must deal with levels of certainty based on observed evidence. The more and better evidence we have for something, the more certainty we assign to it; when there is enough evidence, we label the something a fact, even though it still isn't 100% certain. What evolution has is what any good scientific claim has--evidence, and lots of it. Evolution is supported by a wide range of observations throughout the fields of genetics, anatomy, ecology, animal behavior, paleontology, and others. If you wish to challenge the theory of evolution, you must address that evidence. You must show that the evidence is either wrong or irrelevant or that it fits another theory better. Of course, to do this, you must know both the theory and the evidence. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-misconceptions.html#proof If people who have little or no idea what a theory is dismiss TOE (theory of evolution) because of the word theoy, they need to understand what exactly is meant by theory. larry On 12/23/05, G <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > G, we got to the point where we agreed that ID and Evolution each touch > > on > > the same set of data, that is, the origin of man. > > I guess that's true. Evolution takes all that we have learned, the "set of > data", and tries to draw testable conclusions from it. Intelligent Design > looks at the same set of data and says "welp, this is too complex for > us....must be God's work". > > So, yeah, i guess we agree here. > > >Since they are > > contradictory, shouldn't they both be presented, in whatever class is > > being > > taught? > > If they are contradictory, it's because science continues to draw > conclusions from the set of data, whereas ID says "stop doing that! Don't > you know this is God? Quit drawing conclusions...." > > >Even more, how can it hurt a learning student to hear all of the > > arguments? No one's explained that yet. > > I've explained it ad nauseum, but i'll do it again. Scientific arguments > should be presented and discussed in science class. ID has absolutely no > scientific arguments. Ergo, it's discussion belongs elsewhere. In fact, not > only doesn't it belong in a science class, it makes absolutely no sense in a > science class. It's akin to discussing differential equations in an acting > class! > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Purchase Contribute 3 from House of Fusion, a Macromedia Authorized Affiliate and support the CF community. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=53 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:189739 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
