The explain evolution challenge

*edit 2: cdk007 has made a brilliant video where he WROTE his own program to evolve clocks using evolution. It kills 2 birds because it not only explains evolution dead clearly, but it puts an end to the 'smash a clock, shake up the bits and see if it evolves' misunderstanding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcAq9bmCeR0

*edit: A few interesting links... nice simple (but still quite long) intro to evolution http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_01 from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/

http://www.swimbots.com - A very cool simulator for sexual selection in evolution. Watch the random creatures evolve swimming abilities to reproduce. ps Might take a while :) *

Ok, so I was in a silly mood, but I'd like to touch on how people who argue for and against evolution more often than not don't clearly understand it. I want you to explain what you believe it is/how it works. I want to get a feeling for the level of understanding of evolutionary critics. Remember, you don't have to believe it to understand it. Obviously I'm interested in what christians think as I know mostly christians, but any anti-evolution pundit is good. You can even explain why it's wrong AFTER you clearly explain what you think it is without bias or getting sidetracked.
If you're pro-evolution feel free to post, just mention that you are pro-evolution. I'd love to get some good explainations from both 'sides' and will link to them.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• evolution
• lies
• creation
• creationist
• creationism
• christian
• atheism
• atheist
• agnostic
• young
• earth

[victa19]

What kind of idiot believes they came from a monkey. YOU DO!!!!!!!!! If that were true than explain to me why there are still monkeys around. You have no real proof. That is only what you believe. IT IS A THEORY!!!!!!! Its not real. A make believe story to try and say that God is not real... Read Gen.1:1 That is the oldest documentation there is.

[Octamed]

1) We didn't come from monkeys

2) Monkeys are still around because we didn't come from them

3) A theory in science means an explaination for a set of facts. Not the common language 'educated guess' meaning.

4) Genesis isn't the oldest document there is

Check out the berkley links in the description and you'll understand some of the points in more detail

[jazzyhap]

What is funny is the title of the video is "The explain evolution challenge", yet the first link mentioned being such a "great example" does not explain evolution, but is skeptical towards ID.

And to think Octamed, that somewhere in your mind, you really believe you are being open and fair.

[Octamed]

If I'd have gotten any videos from christians that made a decent attempt I'd have happily linked to them

[jazzyhap]

You can not ask for creationist views and then disqualify them because they come from the authority of the creationists worldview.

Example.

I want to know what feminist think of Sarah Palin, only any views you use that are based on feminism are disqualified, we want to know what feminist think of Sarah Palin only using a masculine worldview.

[Octamed]

actually in this case that doesn't apply. Because all I wanted to see is if people who disagree with evolution know what it actually is. Personal opinions don't come into it. It'd be like me refuting jesus but it turns out I think jesus is santa claus, which makes for a totally pointless and frustrating discussion if I refuse to learn about the actual jesus character. You have to establish if people understand the subject before anything else.

[peepo9000]

But some scientists say that we have the same genes as monkeys? And that the missing chromosome was where one gene fused together or some shit like that

[daddyg321]

"Christians don't understand evolution" does that include all the Christian M.D.s, O.D.s, and scientists in all fields? I think it's more atheists don't understand most things, at least thats been my experience.

[TheRationalizer]

Exactly 500 characters :-)

[TheRationalizer]

Life forms have offspring with slight random mutations.

These mutations can make them more or less likely to survive in their environment.

The survivors are the ones who have offspring and the process repeats.

Sometimes life forms get isolated in different environments and their gene pools are then able to mutate with different averages to the other isolated life forms.

Eventually they are so different in their DNA that they can no longer breed together, and are destined to evolve independently.

[deconverts]

@NakedCreep

?

[BostonRob617]

Fact 4 doesnt even make sense. do some research b4 u start listing facts that r complete bs. mutation will never occur at the same site at the same rate on 2 individuals.... u r retarded sir

[VindicatedVigilante]

"Thanks for providing what you"

That is correct... Environments across the planet have various variables, this is why when an surface dwelling animals DNA is compared to those at the bottom of the ocean they look as if from completely different worlds. In a sense they are.

[VindicatedVigilante]

And you are correct... not all species incur the same damage when exposed to radiation but some do and those that do a mutation will occur at the same rate and at the same site.

[VindicatedVigilante]

A huge problem science in general runs into are the findings of other branches of science physiology and biology have differing views on what an environment is, for example. This makes it hard to get a true vote of integrated factual information. Yes everything is chemicals this is why some mutations look random when in fact it is due to an infinite number of environmental conditions.

[VindicatedVigilante]

Do research all of the listed are facts!