Do you believe in Evolution?

[finale23]

Well, evolution and faith are not mutually exclusive, however, I have seen many devout Christians or people who are religious refuse to accept the merits of the theory and believe in evolution. I am curious as to what this stat may look like on this forum.

 

[Imagist]

Yes.

An atheist believing in evolution is kind of the trivial answer. I'm more interested to find out if there are any atheists who don't believe in evolution.

 

[Bedlam]

I believe in evolution the exact same way that I believe in gravity. I see it in action every day, and life as we know it wouldn't be the same without it.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

i can't answer the question as I wouldn't say that I "believe" in evolution. It takes zero faith to understand the processes of evolutionary theory and see the validity of the model.

 

[Mister Emu]

What do you mean by evolution?

 

[Tristesse]

i can't answer the question as I wouldn't say that I "believe" in evolution. It takes zero faith to understand the processes of evolutionary theory and see the validity of the model.

Well, believe and faith are two separate issues. Scientists use the word believe all the time. Believe just means you except a proposition to be true, based on evidence. While faith depends on continuing to believe a proposition with no evidence or evidence to the contrary. Although, evolution is a state of fact, I still don't have a problem saying I believe in evolution.

 

[CarlinKnew]

Well, evolution and faith are not mutually exclusive, however, I have seen many devout Christians or people who are religious refuse to accept the merits of the theory and believe in evolution. I am curious as to what this stat may look like on this forum.

Let's be clear, evolution is a scientific fact just as the law of gravity is a scientific fact.

 

[Imagist]

i can't answer the question as I wouldn't say that I "believe" in evolution. It takes zero faith to understand the processes of evolutionary theory and see the validity of the model.

I understand that you are making a distinction between belief and knowledge, but I think that in context it's pretty clear that "believe in evolution" means "know evolution to be true with reasonable certainty."

 

[tumbleweed41]

i can't answer the question as I wouldn't say that I "believe" in evolution. It takes zero faith to understand the processes of evolutionary theory and see the validity of the model.

I agree with ATS, however I did vote yes. In the same way that I also "believe" the Labrador sitting at my feet is black. (And yes, as a matter of fact it is a Black Lab!!)

 

[painted wolf]

I 'believe' in evolution in the same way that I 'beleive' in gravity.
As a biologist I can hardly deny evolution... I work with it and see it in action.

I also have faith in Creator... so I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.

wa:do

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Yes but I don't believe in its inerrancy. Evolution is a theory and an expanding one at that. We are continually modifying what it means and learning as we go.

 

[CarlinKnew]

Yes but I don't believe in its inerrancy. Evolution is a theory and an expanding one at that. We are continually modifying what it means and learning as we go.

Just curious, do you feel the same way about gravity? There are different theories to explain gravity, but the law of gravity itself is a fact, and it will not change, just as the fact of evolution will not change. Natural selection is a scientific theory, and it's the best explanation for evolution. The theory of natural selection may be updated if new evidence is found, but evolution remains a fact.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Just curious, do you feel the same way about gravity? There are different theories to explain gravity, but the law of gravity itself is a fact, and it will not change, just as the fact of evolution will not change. Natural selection is a scientific theory, and it's the best explanation for evolution. The theory of natural selection may be updated if new evidence is found, but evolution remains a fact.

The law of gravity will not change? Are you saying we know all there is to know about gravity and nothing about that knowledge will change in the years to come? Gravity was once thought to be constant but it isn't. What other aspects will we discover in the future.

 

[themadhair]

The law of gravity will not change? Are you saying we know all there is to know about gravity and nothing about that knowledge will change in the years to come? Gravity was once thought to be constant but it isn't. What other aspects will we discover in the future.

I think you misunderstand his (poorly explained) point.

There is the phenomenon of gravity where matter experiences an attractive force.
There is the phenomenon of evolution where allelic frequencies vary from generation to generation.

The theory of gravity explains the phenomenon of gravity just as the theory of evolution explains the phenomenon of evolution.

Does that make more sense?

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I think you misunderstand his (poorly explained) point.

There is the phenomenon of gravity where matter experiences an attractive force.
There is the phenomenon of evolution where allelic frequencies vary from generation to generation.

The theory of gravity explains the phenomenon of gravity just as the theory of evolution explains the phenomenon of evolution.

Does that make more sense?

Of course, and he misunderstood my point. I said I believe in evolution but we are still learning and expanding on the theory. Are we not still learning and expanding on both of these scientific theory?

 

[Falvlun]

As others have noted, there's something uncomfortable about saying I "believe in" evolution. That phrasing sounds so (religious) faith-like. I would have less trepedition if it were phrased something like "Do you believe evolution to be true?"

 

[Magic Man]

Others have already taken my answer. It's not about belief. It's about intellectual honesty. As others have said, I "believe" in evolution the same way I "believe" in gravity.

 

[themadhair]

What other aspects will we discover in the future.

Reminds me of Evo-Devo. Wonder what will be discovered next?

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Reminds me of Evo-Devo.

Or Mannheim's Conformal Gravity. New gravity theory may outdistance Einstein -- Part 1

 

[finale23]

Hah, you guys are alot more enlightened than some other boards on which I have posted the same question. I have been banned on a couple ones for simply asking the question.

I am asking the question is because according to the latest survey by National Geographic, over 60% of Americans do not believe in evolution. By that, I mean they do not think it's a viable explanation of how lives evolved on earth. Anyway, this board seems fun I will probably stick around for a bit.