• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Death and Evolution

Sapiens

Sapiens

Polymathematician
FearGod said:
Thank you for proving your dishonesty.
Click to expand...
SO WHAT?

San José State University Writing Center
Writing Center | San Jose State University
Written by Peter Gambrill

Effective Argumentation: Premises and Conclusions

One of the most common comments professors write on students' papers is: “So what?” We've all seen those two words scrawled on our papers at least a few times. Why is this a common problem in argumentative writing? What is the error in logic that lets one or more assertions become disconnected from the argument? To answer these questions, we must look at the basic building blocks of any logical argument: premises and conclusions.

1. Premises: Premises are assertions that, when joined together, will lead the reader to the conclusion. The most important part of any premise is that your audience will accept it as true. If your audience rejects even one of your premises, they will likely also reject your conclusion, and your entire argument will fall apart. When constructing premises, it is essential to consider your audience. When you know your audience, you also know which assertions they will accept and which they will question.

(a) For example, consider the following assertion: “Because greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate...” Is this a solid premise? It depends on your audience. If your readers are members of an environmental group, they will accept this premise without qualms. If your readers are oil company executives, they may reject this premise and your conclusions.

(b) To construct solid premises, you need to consider the rationales and beliefs of your opponents. What are the “givens” you accept that they do not? What beliefs lead them to reject those “givens”? Where can two sides of an argument find common ground? That is where you will find effective premises to reach your conclusion.

2. Conclusions: A conclusion can be any assertion that your readers will not readily accept. A conclusion must have at least one premise supporting it. The thesis of an argumentative paper will always contain a conclusion, with the main points or body paragraphs acting as premises that lead the reader to accept it.

(a) Let’s revisit the previous example, but change the wording slightly: “Therefore, greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate.” How did changing the first word in the sentence change the function of the sentence? The meaning of the sentence stays the same, but how we're using it in our argument has changed. It is now in the form of a conclusion.

(b) You may have heard one of your thesis statements or main arguments described as “too obvious.” This usually means that your readers already accept your conclusion without any need for argument. You must also consider your audience when you are constructing your conclusions. 3. Joining words: Readers need transitional words and phrases to distinguish among different ideas and to make sense of logical relationships. Joining words indicate which assertions are offered as premises and which as conclusions. If these signals are missing in your writing, readers will often make their own connections, which may be quite different than those you intended. To introduce premises, use connectors such as because and since.

Example: The sea level is rising because greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate.

To introduce conclusions, use so, therefore, thus, and consequently. Example: Therefore, the increase in temperature is causing the sea level to rise. To link premises, use and, but, and or. Example: The rising sea level and the increase in temperature are connected.
 
FearGod

FearGod

Freedom Of Mind
Sapiens said:
SO WHAT?

San José State University Writing Center
Writing Center | San Jose State University
Written by Peter Gambrill

Effective Argumentation: Premises and Conclusions

One of the most common comments professors write on students' papers is: “So what?” We've all seen those two words scrawled on our papers at least a few times. Why is this a common problem in argumentative writing? What is the error in logic that lets one or more assertions become disconnected from the argument? To answer these questions, we must look at the basic building blocks of any logical argument: premises and conclusions.

1. Premises: Premises are assertions that, when joined together, will lead the reader to the conclusion. The most important part of any premise is that your audience will accept it as true. If your audience rejects even one of your premises, they will likely also reject your conclusion, and your entire argument will fall apart. When constructing premises, it is essential to consider your audience. When you know your audience, you also know which assertions they will accept and which they will question.

(a) For example, consider the following assertion: “Because greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate...” Is this a solid premise? It depends on your audience. If your readers are members of an environmental group, they will accept this premise without qualms. If your readers are oil company executives, they may reject this premise and your conclusions.

(b) To construct solid premises, you need to consider the rationales and beliefs of your opponents. What are the “givens” you accept that they do not? What beliefs lead them to reject those “givens”? Where can two sides of an argument find common ground? That is where you will find effective premises to reach your conclusion.

2. Conclusions: A conclusion can be any assertion that your readers will not readily accept. A conclusion must have at least one premise supporting it. The thesis of an argumentative paper will always contain a conclusion, with the main points or body paragraphs acting as premises that lead the reader to accept it.

(a) Let’s revisit the previous example, but change the wording slightly: “Therefore, greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate.” How did changing the first word in the sentence change the function of the sentence? The meaning of the sentence stays the same, but how we're using it in our argument has changed. It is now in the form of a conclusion.

(b) You may have heard one of your thesis statements or main arguments described as “too obvious.” This usually means that your readers already accept your conclusion without any need for argument. You must also consider your audience when you are constructing your conclusions. 3. Joining words: Readers need transitional words and phrases to distinguish among different ideas and to make sense of logical relationships. Joining words indicate which assertions are offered as premises and which as conclusions. If these signals are missing in your writing, readers will often make their own connections, which may be quite different than those you intended. To introduce premises, use connectors such as because and since.

Example: The sea level is rising because greenhouse gases are causing the atmosphere to warm at a rapid rate.

To introduce conclusions, use so, therefore, thus, and consequently. Example: Therefore, the increase in temperature is causing the sea level to rise. To link premises, use and, but, and or. Example: The rising sea level and the increase in temperature are connected.
Click to expand...

We know that evolution is based on the 4 forces, mutations, genetic drift, gene flow and natural selection.

Now the question is very easy, how death for each species was naturally selected ?
Why humans can live for around 100 years, why not 30 years, why not 400 years, why not immortal?
 
idav

idav

Being
Premium Member
FearGod said:
Is becoming old and die was good for the species?
Death is good for earth and for more species to come which is a sign that someone
has planned for it, living for some years and giving birth for new comers.

What do you think? was it just a coincidence or a programmed death mechanism?
Click to expand...
That organisms get old and die I see as a sign that the mechanisms for evolutionary biology were not designed intelligently. Every cell on earth has to struggle to survive and not by replicating itself which makes the replicated self illusory. Truly, organisms can't really survive, they merely half hazardly propagate information and awareness toward the future in order to "survive".
 
FearGod

FearGod

Freedom Of Mind
idav said:
That organisms get old and die I see as a sign that the mechanisms for evolutionary biology were not designed intelligently. Every cell on earth has to struggle to survive and not by replicating itself which makes the replicated self illusory. Truly, organisms can't really survive, they merely half hazardly propagate information and awareness toward the future in order to "survive".
Click to expand...

Death isn't a choice but it's a must for the survival of life on earth, how you see it as undesigned?
 
Sapiens

Sapiens

Polymathematician
Actually death is selected. Generational length has an effect on fitness as does the length of non-reproductive adulthood.
 
LuisDantas

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I am not a biologist. I would direct you to a biology department or even to talk.origins, but I sincerely doubt that you would make a honest effort to learn.
 
Sapiens

Sapiens

Polymathematician
FearGod said:
Whereas LuisDantas believe death isn't selected and biology is his friend.
Click to expand...
While he is often a knowledgeable fellow, I am a biologist and this is my field. I stand by my statement. I suspect that he and I may be talking about different things, time will tell.

The point is that length of life, reproductive strategies and nurture strategies all effect each other, both independently and interactively they have an effect on fitness.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top