Some questions about your experiences with evolution...

[outis]

Thanks for your answer. It's an interesting story...

I don't know why, but when I first looked at geochronological table, I had assume that they were correct with years and dating techniques on rocks, sentiments and fossils, so I never questioned any book, about the age of the earth, or age of dinosaurs, or of primitive humans. I didn't know how evolution help us understand all these things.

... but my question was: how did you make sense of all this without evolution? Did you think for instance that species randomly appeared with random features, as if some kind of life-creating tornado was behind it all?
This might seem like a silly question but since I have lived my whole life with the concept of evolution it's difficult for me to understand how you might have perceived natural history.

 

[gnostic]

... but my question was: how did you make sense of all this without evolution? Did you think for instance that species randomly appeared with random features, as if some kind of life-creating tornado was behind it all?

That just it. And I understand what you mean. It is a mystery to me how I can accept dinosaurs and other primitive animals without understanding evolution.

Not being aware of evolution probably didn't help me understand the big picture of natural history.

But I don't have any satisfactory answer to give to you.

I was never really a student of biology,* when I was in high school. I understand my limitation in high school now, and in the last 17 years of my life.

Its about almost half a lifetime away. Do you seriously think I can give you a clear understanding of that part of my life?

I can only tell you what I do remember with my life - my experiences - but not why I wasn't taught evolution earlier. Anything else; and I will be second guessing why it happened the way it did.

At universities, I was a civil engineer student (after high school), and years later (13-15 years ago to be precise), I was a computer science student. Neither of these courses required me to take biology subjects. I was required a more applied science approach, with more suitable maths and physics subjects. Like I said in my previous post, I was about 30 when I actually took the time to learn evolution at my own time (and expense).

 

[LegionOnomaMoi]

How old were you when you learned of evolution?

I can't remember.

Did you learn evolution in school or university?

I didn't attend much in the way of school before university, and by the time I attended I had already learned about evolution. I don't recall when I did, but I do know that I read
Adapting Minds: Evolutionary Psychology and the Persistent Quest for Human Nature at least a few years before college. Also, I did take an intro biology class as an undergrad to fulfill a requirement, and evolution was covered. Also, a some psych classes covered evolutionary psychology.

If no, where did you learn about evolution? (Private reading or research?)
Have you ever read any of Charles Darwin's books, like On Origin Of Species, Descent of Man, etc?

I haven't read much of Darwin's work other than Origin of Species.

What other books have you read (on evolution)?

Rauchfuss' Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life
The edited volume Conceptual Issues in Biology
McGhee's Convergent Evolution: Limited Forms Most Beautiful
Behe's crap.
Archaea: Ancient Microbes, Extreme Environments, and the Origin of Life
the edited volume Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA
Cabej's Epigenic Principles of Evolution
the edited volume Origins and Evolution of LifeL An Astrobiological Perspective
the edited volume Pattern Formation in Morphogenesis: Problems and Mathematical Issues
the edited volume Principles of Evolution: From the Planck Epoch to Complex Multicellular Life (The Frontiers Collection)
the edited volume Quantum Aspects of LIfe
Luisi's The Emergence of Life: From Chemical Origins to Synthetic Biology
the edited volume The Evolution of Anisogamy: A Fundamental Phenomenon Underlying Sexual Selection
Shanahan's The Evolution of Darwinism: Selection, Adaptation, and Progress in Evolutionary Biology
Koonin's The Logic of Chance: The Nature and Origin of Biological Evolution
Vincent & Brown's Evolutionary Game Theory, Natural Selection, and Darwinian Dynamics
Wheeler's The Whole Creature: Complexity, biosemiotics and the evolution of culture
the edited volume Mathematical Analysis of Evolution, Information, and Complexity
the edited volume Language Origins: Perspectives on Evolution
Avery's Information Theory & Evolution
Auyang's Foundations of Complex-system Theories: In Economics, Evolutionary Biology, and Statistical Physics
the edited volume Evolutionary Neuroscience
the edited volume Evolutionary Cognitive Neuroscience
the edited volume Evolution of Sleep: Phylogenetic and Functional Perspectives
the edited volume Evolution and Emergence: Systems, Organisms, Persons
and now I'm sick of writing down titles. Plus most of my "evolution' section is on evolutionary algorithms.

Are you qualified biologist? Or do you work as a biologist as a profession?

No.

Please, explain your experience.

I work in the cognitive and neurosciences as a researcher, so my professional experience with biology is limited to neurobiology. However, evolutionary psychology is a pretty big deal in the cognitive sciences and where I worked I regularly came into contact with some of the "big names" in the field.

 

[Me Myself]

Why cant I edit in this thread? In any case I meant to say

Dont remember, i think school but maybe highschool I knew since early earth was MORE THAN 6000 years o,d that for sure cause I loved dinasours.

I dont remember ever having thought evolution didnt make sense or something . It actually made very good sense to me.

The capitals I added just now.

 

[gnostic]

Why cant I edit in this thread?

If your post you wanted to edit is older than 1 day, you won't be able to modify it.

You probably won't have this restriction if you're a moderator...and even more so, if you're a staff member...but I'm guessing about the moderators' power.

 

[fantome profane]

I find it really interesting, perhaps even "telling", that none of the critics of evolution have responded in this thread. Or have I missed them?

 

[Ouroboros]

I learned about evolution in middle school, while I was a very serious and dedicated Christian. Somehow, I managed to maintain the idea that God created the world 6,000 years ago. Not until I lost my faith last decade did I start to read real scientific literature about evolution. Some years ago, I went back to school and took a couple of classes in biological/physical anthropology, including lab. This was really fun. We learned about how to look at identifying features for different skulls, comparing between monkey, ape, and human bones. It was first hand experience of deducing my own conclusions about the reliability of the theory. Since then, it's very hard for me to even consider the possibility that evolution wouldn't be true. From what I've seen, it must be. There's no other explanation for how the world works.

 

[Me Myself]

If your post you wanted to edit is older than 1 day, you won't be able to modify it.

You probably won't have this restriction if you're a moderator...and even more so, if you're a staff member...but I'm guessing about the moderators' power.

Interesting o.o thanks for telling me xD

 

[Caladan]

Here are number of questions I would like to you about evolution, natural selection, or anything relating to evolution, but more specifically about your experiences in evolution.

How old were you when you learned of evolution?​

Very young, because it was a default world view for as long as I can remember.

Did you learn evolution in school or university? If yes, was it in biology? If not in biology, in which subject did learn about evolution?

At least in biology classes in school, and in the archaeology department in the university while covering human evolution, prehistory, or zooarchaeology.

If no, where did you learn about evolution? (Private reading or research?)
Have you ever read any of Charles Darwin's books, like On Origin Of Species, Descent of Man, etc?

I read many articles and various books which are either dedicated to or discuss evolution.

Are you qualified biologist? Or do you work as a biologist as a profession?
Please, explain your experience.

I am working on my MA in archaeology and work in a governmental archaeological body. We excavate anything from the prehistory of the Levant to the Ottoman period.​

 

[dust1n]

I find it really interesting, perhaps even "telling", that none of the critics of evolution have responded in this thread. Or have I missed them?

Well, to be fair, I don't think you are going to find creationists with 'experiences with evolution..."