Polling Friday: Do you believe in Evolution?

[Qalbert]

for clarity's sake does Yes mean evolution exactly as it is 'understood' today, or merely that we believe in the concept of evolution?

[Obev]

Where's the middle option for "trimmed but not shaven"?

[Neosutra]

I believe in Evolution, but then again I am a rogue lunatic that also believes the world is round, the earth revolves around the sun, and religion is a lie.

Edit: Holy shit, 15 people here voted no? Dear god how many were not joking?

[Kohan]

for clarity's sake does Yes mean evolution exactly as it is 'understood' today, or merely that we believe in the concept of evolution?

Evolution isn't purely theroetical, even though we could get into debating the true definition of "theory" when used in a scientific context. We wouldn't have biological mimicry, evolutionary elimination of normally "positive" traits, and so on, so forth, if it didn't exist.

Though there obviously are extremely few critics of evolution on this board (a good thing), too many people who are critical just think of "humans coming from apes," which definitely isn't all there is to it.

[Qalbert]

I believe at the very least in micro-evolution, and agree that the concept of macroevolution makes the most sense, but I have issues with it, at least the way it is currently portrayed/thought. I guess that's still a Yes vote though?

[ByeByeTasai]

evolution exactly as it is 'understood' today

If evolution was understood at all, there would be no need for a poll such as this.

But, anyone who says they don't believe in evolution should look into permanent birth control. There's enough misguided, poorly educated dumb-asses roaming around the world as is. People who believe in utter shit that they cannot see over subtle, but observable adaptation and advancement should buy a gun and try to reach their paradise sooner.

If you want an all powerful being to believe in, this one makes more sense then any established religion...
Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

[Qalbert]

Like I have said I don't disbelieve in the overall concept of evolution, I think it is viable, and to some degree, as you say, observable. I am not however a fan of straight up Darwinianism which was kind of my question.

[ByeByeTasai]

Aye, I don't believe in every last detail of Darwinism myself. Personally I believe evolution to be more effecting mental and psychological characteristics and not so much physical adaptation. I don't believe we ever closely resembled apes in look, but I wouldn't doubt that man's intellect was once much like them.

The Industrial Revolution is hard evidence of evolution in my opinion.

fixed

[Weeks]

Aye, I don't believe in Darwinism myself. Personally I believe evolution to be more effecting mental and psychological characteristics and not so much physical adaptation. I don't believe we ever closely resembled apes in look, but I wouldn't doubt that man's intellect was once much like them.

The Industrial Revolution is hard evidence of evolution in my opinion.

You are retarded.

[ByeByeTasai]

You are retarded.

Don't make me post pictures of your last haircut...

[Blarg]

What the hell do you mean you don't believe in 'Darwinism'? What do you even think Darwinism is?

Saying you only believe in micro evolution is basically bullshit since you would have to also believe in a young earth. If earth is old, as it has been proven to be, then 'macro' evolution (there really is no distinction between micro and macro) is bound to happen. What happens when you move a rock 1 inch every day (micro movement) and do that for thousands of years, you get a huge movement/change in the position of that rock (macro movement). Any kind of evolution + time = big changes.

[Weeks]

^ Right answer.

The distinction between micro- and macro-evolution is created by people who only want to appear half-retarded.

[ByeByeTasai]

To clarify, I don't believe in a young planet. My basic point with Darwinism is that I don't believe that species evolve into another species, transmutation. I believe that man was always man, but primitive at one point in history.

To explain using your rock as a living organism: If you move a rock an inch every year, and then continue to do so with that rock's bloodline until movement becomes a part of the rock's nature and it learns to move on it's own. Eventually the rock develops a need to create an advanced form of transportation, it doesn't grow feet.

Basically what I'm getting at is that mankind has advanced more in the last 100 years then we had in the lasts 200 years before that. And in those 200 years we advanced more then in the last 1000. These increasing gains are most likely due to the average life span as well as overall population increasing. Which reflects adaptation increasing survival through intellectual and psychological changes, not physical. And, as long as man's kept records, we have never noticed significant physical changes. Even the "vestigial" organs still have some use, if only a little.

Edit: In addition to that, I don't 100% believe everything I hear or read about no matter how credible the source, unless I can see 100% that it is true. That's the same kind of blind faith that keeps religion's lingering. My personal belief's are based on what we physically see changing around us and influenced by great mind's, not set in stone by them. There are an infinite amount of undetermined variables when it comes to everything in science that can cause theories to crumble at any moment.

[Kerberoz]

Ugh... just say you believe every word of the bible and at least retain some dignity. "Half" accepting evolution while still believing some god put humans here is just fucking retarded.

[Qalbert]

My biggest problem with Darwinism is the fact that there is very little substantial long term, large scale evidence. I realize microevolution will eventually snowball into macroevolution, but since we haven't observed macroevolution, and I am at least not aware of a whole lot of factual evidence in favor of macroevolution I remain a bit skeptical. Additionally I personally wonder why in a world of survival of the fittest we still have the quote unquote unevolved animals still present today. I certaintly am no religious nutjob, I think its more likely that aliens seeded human life than that God did, but I have some problems with the specifics of darwinism. Again I agree with the concept, just question the specifics.

[ByeByeTasai]

Ugh... just say you believe every word of the bible and at least retain some dignity. "Half" accepting evolution while still believing some god put humans here is just fucking retarded.

This post is just fucking retarded. Who said anything about a god? Other then the flying spaghetti monster...

[Kerberoz]

If you believe that humans were always human, what other explanation is there? God or aliens, both equally retarded. Where did the aliens come from?

[Teffy]

Trolling Friday

[ByeByeTasai]

I'm not attempting to touch the origin of life, because none of the theories hold water. Not agreeing with aliens, but if your going to ask where the aliens came from, then why not also ask where the primordial ooze came from or matter in general? Your delving into questions that won't ever be answered no matter what you believe.


and in before big bang theory comeback...

[Kuya]

Dawkins thinks that aliens as an explanation for the first cause is an okay explanation, so it may not be retarded as you think if mister dick-ihatereligion-dawkins thinks otherwise.