Evolution works in mysterious ways

Lost User

Now that you clarified your position, it is certain that your position cannot be reconciled in a real world democracy without everyone becoming a Christian. I guess all *one and only God* religions have the same problem. They are, by definition, condescending. Nice talking to you.

Lost User

The Bible is his proof. There is no point discussing further.

soap brain

I know, I know... :sigh:

Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.

Lost User

The worms dont come from bad hygenie but from the animals in the wild.

Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

Matthew Faithfull

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

ie GENETICS, which was later discovered and found to agree with his theory.

Which in fact made his theory a) impossible and b)obselete which he undoubtedly would have recognised.

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

Well, he studied theology for a time,

He did more than that, he trainer to be a Vicar, doesn't necessarily make him a Christian though.

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

Biologists.

Good, nice woolly edged kind of spongy people on the whole, not given to aggressive tendencies or ranting. Very reluctant to throw out stuff that isn't useful anymore but hey I've only met a few. :)

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

who actually understand evolution.

Hmm, not so useful. Those who value the understanding of failed old theories would probably be best calling themselves historians and staying clear of making scintific claims, ether physics anyone? On the other hand there is probably more value in reviewing the historical track of 19th and 20th century science than most scientists will admit. Physics could benefit hugely by going back and correcting the errors in some of its founding papers instead of alternately ignoring them and denying them, or so I'm told.

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

I don't 'worship' Charles Darwin

Good, I didn't think you did, just be wary of the handful of nutters who do and the equally dangerous loons who worship their own DNA.

"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage." Thucydides (B.C. 460-400)

Matthew Faithfull

Ravel H. Joyce wrote:

I suppose you can prove that your beliefs are right and that theirs are wrong?

What?, with reference to your belief system, I doubt it as your belief system, which I take to be modern pseudo science, espouses proof while relying on derivations from the assumption that proof itself is not possible. Within such a contradictory system you may percieve any result you wish, that being the purpose of the contradiction in the first place, and can therefore dismiss any 'proof' presented as not proof without being demonstrably wrong. Even any accepted proof within such a belief system would have no value. Never the less back in the world of the real history will ultimately show which beliefs are right.

"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage." Thucydides (B.C. 460-400)

Matthew Faithfull

Thomas George wrote:

They are, by definition, condescending.

Indeed perhaps the condescention of God is all that stands between each one of us and eternal torment. It was a very good discussion in which you have demonstrated your clear and unsinting reason. Thank you.

"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage." Thucydides (B.C. 460-400)

Matthew Faithfull

Good, so you can quote scripture, even the Devil can do that. Do you understand anything from it or intend any point by your selection of quotes?

"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage." Thucydides (B.C. 460-400)

Brady Kelly

I'm not worried about hygiene, that's normally fine, but the quality of fish. Chain shops that push large quantities of anonymous salmon seem, to me, to carry more risk than proper Japanese shops that hand select quality fish. Hell, even my local coffee shop, with an Italian ambience, serves sushi.

Pits fall into Chuck Norris.

Ilion

Paul Watson wrote:

Ilíon, please don't think that because I am an aethist that I am part of some greater movement or that ... And I am not "you people" just as you are not "you people." ...

I really do make a consious effort to see and react to each person as a unique individual (quite apart from my use of "you people") ... but really! you have to admit that it is sometimes exceeding difficult to keep always before one's mind the truth that 'atheists' are not pod-people or ants of an ant-hill (watch this thread[^]).

Ilion

Paul Watson wrote:

Ilíon, please don't think that because I am an aethist that ...

Hell, I can even overlook this history[^] (and, as The Dip informs us, you're just trying to be civil)

Lost User

I once was accused of playing god by some fanatic. Why? I 'dared' to discuss an evolutionary algorithm. It was just for fun to be used in a game instead of the existing 'if-then-else' logic. To better observe the process of evolving a solution we filled the datastructures which served as 'genes' with zeros. As generations were simulated, the datastructures slowly filled with values which came from (programmed) random mutations. The location as well as the new value were determined by a random number generator. There is no doubt that every single value was created randomly. Yet the algorithm relyably evolves a solution every time. Despite all random factors some patterns and intermediate steps can be observed every time. The whole secret is the additional mechanism which filters out the lesser solutions: Selection. A simple evolutionary algorithm is not hard to implement. A high school student could do it. Some poeple should better try it themselves and learn from it. It certainly beats repeating 'truth' they take from an old book and any flawed 'proof' against it. But at least I can live with the thought that someone else is only happy when hanging onto something I regard as total nonsense. Go ahead, think what you want. I simply continue to use evolutionary algorithms, which work nicely despite all rants. And up to now I have not been struck down by god for doing so.