Evolution

Originally posted by dj2becker
The point is they believed in evolution, and thus they saw nothing wrong with butchering millions of people.

And Christians have commited grave crimes under the banner of serving God. Does that make Christianity bad?

Originally posted by dj2becker
The point is they believed in evolution, and thus they saw nothing wrong with butchering millions of people.

As a working molecular biologist evolution is part of my everyday life. This doesn't bother me but the pile of dead bodies I have butchered is starting to smell. What should I do?

Originally posted by dj2becker
The point is they believed in evolution, and thus they saw nothing wrong with butchering millions of people.

The question is what to make of the term "thus" that appears in this claim of yours. Nothing about ethics follows from the assumption that evolutionary theory is true.

Originally posted by bbarr
Nothing about ethics follows from the assumption that evolutionary theory is true.

Prove it.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Prove it.

Why on Earth do I need to do that? Nothing important in life is subject to proof. The best I can do is give reasons, and the first reason is this: Ethical theories deal with the normative, and purely descriptive statements only entail things about the normative when supplemented by other normative claims.

Originally posted by bbarr
Why on Earth do I need to do that? Nothing important in life is subject to proof. The best I can do is give reasons, and the first reason is this: Ethical theories deal with the normative, and purely descriptive statements only entail things about the normative when supplemented by other normative claims.

I was joking, of course. I decided to have a little fun in the forums today and go with the flow rather than be the dam of reason. You'll note I also spent some time speculating on who created the more powerful God that created God.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
I was joking, of course. I decided to have a little fun in the forums today and go with the flow rather than be the dam of reason. You'll note I also spent some time speculating on who created the more powerful God that created God.

Sorry, I've been teaching all day. My sense of humor has taken a beating.

Originally posted by bbarr
Sorry, I've been teaching all day. My sense of humor has taken a beating.

To restore it, you should spend your next lecture trying to teach the 38 Ways to Win an Argument with a straight face, and a German accent if possible. I'll be happy to sit in and demonstrate technique 4, which is my personal favorite.

Alternatively, you could engage your class in this discussion: Suppose there is an infinite causal chain of increasingly powerful Gods. Is the God who made man infinitesimally powerful? (The experiment, of course, will be to see if anybody points out that an infinite causal chain can't exist in a backwards direction. If your class is such that nobody would make this observation, then I can understand your loss of humor.)

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
And Christians have commited grave crimes under the banner of serving God. Does that make Christianity bad?

Christianity teaches that life is sacred.

Evolution teaches the opposite.

Originally posted by dj2becker
Christianity teaches that life is sacred.

Evolution teaches the opposite.

No, you are incorrect. Evolution doesn't employ the notion of sacredness, as is thus silent on the matter. Evolution, in general, does not employ any normative notions, of which sacredness is an instance. Your ignorance concerning evolutionary theory is, frankly, astounding.

Originally posted by dj2becker
Christianity teaches that life is sacred.

Evolution teaches the opposite.

Evolution teaches the opposite.

that is, in a word, absurd.

Originally posted by bbarr
No, you are incorrect. Evolution doesn't employ the notion of sacredness, as is thus silent on the matter. Evolution, in general, does not employ any normative notions, of which sacredness is an instance. Your ignorance concerning evolutionary theory is, frankly, astounding.

I am talking about "Evolution" as a pillar of Secular Humanism.

In case you may not have noticed, Evolution is not only used as a scientfic theory, as is maybe the case with you.

Originally posted by dj2becker
I am talking about "Evolution" as a pillar of Secular Humanism.

In case you may not have noticed, Evolution is not only used as a scientfic theory, as is maybe the case with you.

Has the medication run low DJ2? You appear to be raving. Who are these people using evolution in some non scientific way? The only people I'm aware of using evolution as a philosophy / religion are the fundies who busily set up some bizarre notion of what evolution is about just so they can froth at the mouth and rave about it.

The human genome has 98% similarity with the great apes and 60% similarity with bananas; I suspect the banana portion is taking over your mind dj2.

Originally posted by LemonJello
[b]Evolution teaches the opposite.

that is, in a word, absurd.[/b]

I suggest you read "Battle for Truth" by David Noebel.

Originally posted by aardvarkhome
Who are these people using evolution in some non scientific way? The only people I'm aware of using evolution as a philosophy / religion are the fundies who busily set up some bizarre notion of what evolution is about just so they can froth at the mouth and rave about it.

You give the eugenicists and their ilk too little credit.

Dj2becker as banana...most appealing.