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Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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DWill

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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It's very true that evolution is in general descriptive rather than predictive. Would any biologist disagree with that? But its inability to be significantly predictive doesn't make it a "bad" theory. It's just the nature of this particular study. Theories have different areas of strength.

We can't possibly predict what the next "step" in our evolution might be, if there is one.
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Dexter

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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ant wrote:No way of knowing because evolution essentially describes what is seen and pieces together what was.
It is descriptive more than it is predictive. Good theories are predictive and based on mathematics.

At what point did hominids become human and was that a predictable occurrence?
It sounds like you are implying that evolution is therefore not a "good theory."

Perhaps you can help me with reading comprehension. Was this not your implication?
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ant

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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DWill wrote:It's very true that evolution is in general descriptive rather than predictive. Would any biologist disagree with that? But its inability to be significantly predictive doesn't make it a "bad" theory. It's just the nature of this particular study. Theories have different areas of strength.

We can't possibly predict what the next "step" in our evolution might be, if there is one.
I appreciate your balanced responses, DWill. And I agree with what you wrote.

Naturally, claimijg what Ive said is the same thing as saying the theory of evolution is a bad theory would be a strawman, tailored to wail against. (Not saying you are).

But evolution does not generate strong theories that are generate predictions based on mathematics.
STRONG theories do (ie quantum theory, physics).

Going back to what I wrote: there was no way a prediction could have been made that would have foretold the rise of consciousness. At some point the chasm between primate intelligence and human consciousness was crossed. Might another cognitive chasm crossing await in the future? Is it mathematically predictable by our current theory? Of course not. Our current theory is not nearly strong enough or complete enough. It has holes in it.

A simpler question (questions about consciousness are too hard) might be what species will roam the amazon forests in a thousand years?
Can evolution predict that? To my knowledgr it cant.

Its been said the book of nature is written in mathematics.
Evolution is not mathematically predictive. It's great at explaining what we see and what it is we dig up and what it may have developed from, but it's weak in key explanatory areas.
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ant

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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Dexter wrote:
ant wrote:No way of knowing because evolution essentially describes what is seen and pieces together what was.
It is descriptive more than it is predictive. Good theories are predictive and based on mathematics.

At what point did hominids become human and was that a predictable occurrence?
It sounds like you are implying that evolution is therefore not a "good theory."

Perhaps you can help me with reading comprehension. Was this not your implication?
Im not making anything "sound" bad.
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Dexter

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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ant wrote: Im not making anything "sound" bad.
Let me help you with your own logic. You have a short memory and poor reasoning skills.
ant wrote:Good theories are predictive and based on mathematics.
ant wrote:Evolution is not mathematically predictive.
Implied conclusion: Evolution is not a good theory.

Do you not see that?

Maybe you should learn a little more about what evolutionary theory is and why predicting a species a thousand years from now is a silly thing to expect. You're at maybe 7th grade comprehension right now.
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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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Dexter wrote:
ant wrote: Im not making anything "sound" bad.
Let me help you with your own logic. You have a short memory and poor reasoning skills.
ant wrote:Good theories are predictive and based on mathematics.
ant wrote:Evolution is not mathematically predictive.
Implied conclusion: Evolution is not a good theory.

Do you not see that?

Maybe you should learn a little more about what evolutionary theory is and why predicting a species a thousand years from now is a silly thing to expect. You're at maybe 7th grade comprehension right now.

Will somebody tell this insulting imbecile that Mensa ;

1) Assumes that evolution is a fact, which implies that it has not been accepted by this particular Mensa group AS a Fact

2) Mensa has asked for a PREDICTION regarding what the "next step" in our evolution is, based on a theory that can not make such a prediction based on mathematics.

It's getting really old being attacked whenever someone questions this particular theory and its complete predictive capabities.

I implied it was a bad theory!!
Quick!! Someone call the Darwinian Inquisition!!

:coco:
Im ignoriing this cretin until he acts civil.
Last edited by ant on Tue May 26, 2015 1:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dexter

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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Now you're only questioning the theory's "complete predictive capabities"

Right. What an intelligent objection.

This is embarrassing, I almost feel bad.

But you haven't earned civility.

May I remind everyone of a small sample of ant's greatest hits:
ant wrote:
Youre welcome to continue to defend the condemnation and murder of millions of Christians by an atheistic government all you want, however indirectly you are doing it.
ant
I think you stand for nothing and are useless to a healthy society.

You and your mockery of me can go fuck yourself
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ant

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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Youre an idiot.

The fact that its a theory that's not as predictive as quantum theory because its not mathematically based is not a bad thing. It just is.
Youre the one that gets pissed off about it.

If you have nothing to add other than just crying that I implied it was a bad theor, get lost.
Youre acting like a fucking drunk troll.
Loser.
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geo

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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ant wrote:Youre an idiot.

The fact that its a theory that's not as predictive as quantum theory because its not mathematically based is not a bad thing. It just is.
Youre the one that gets pissed off about it.

If you have nothing to add other than just crying that I implied it was a bad theor, get lost.
Youre acting like a fucking drunk troll.
Loser.
You did imply that it was a bad theory. That idea was very clearly conveyed whether it was intentional or not.

Evolutionary theory encompasses many different subsets and there's a lot of predictability within those subsets. For example, you can set up an experiment and demonstrate (predict) that female widowbirds will prefer long-tailed males. (That's just one example of sexual selection that is supported by evidence.) Geologists can predict what fossils will be found within a certain rock strata. And, more recently, geneticists have come up with ways of calculating the percentages of shared genetic material between two closely related species which, in turn, can be used to predict where and when the older, now extinct species lived. Evolutionary theory is supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Within this overlap there are many, many opportunities for prediction.

What you seem to be suggesting is that evolutionary theory suffers from the inability to predict what humans will look like in ten thousand years. Sorry to say, this is appallingly simplistic. As Interbane has already stated (many times I think) it's like trying to predict what the Grand Canyon will look like in ten thousand years. And, yet, we do not question our understanding of erosion, do we?
-Geo
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ant

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Re: Assuming evolution is factual, what do you think is the next step in our evolution?

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You did imply that it was a bad theory. That idea was very clearly conveyed whether it was intentional or not.

Actually, I didn't I simply stated what the theory in question is not capable of doing.

that female widowbirds will prefer long-tailed males
sometimes they would and sometimes they would NOT.
That's already been determined in a similar experiment with peacocks - sometimes the preference is there, sometimes it isn't.

Like it our not, that is NOT what I'd call an accurate prediction.

Don't you keep up with this kind of stuff, Geo?
(just wondering)


Ps.

Why does this upset you and Dexter so much?
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