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Questions for Richard Dawkins

#8: May - June 2003 (Non-Fiction)
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tarav

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Re: Creationism

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Sqwark, Have you read Origin of Species? Your comment, "Understand this: Darwinism has serious credibility and evidentiary gaps in its current formulation. Gaps which have not been explicated at all with the passing of time, as Darwin expected." is not an accurate understanding of what Darwin has said. Please see p.340 for a summary and then the preceeding chapter for an elaboration of why there are gaps. He does explain(contrary to your statement) the gaps:1. only a small portion of the geological record has been explored2. that only certain classes of organisms have been preserved as fossils3. that the number of specimens in our possession is nothing compared to the actual number4. that the conditions necessary for a fossil to be made are far from commonHe goes on. These are just the first 4 points. Please see p. 341 where he explains how, "He who rejects these views on the nature of the geological record, will rightly reject my whole theory. For he may ask in vain where are the numberless transitional links which..." He says, " in vain" because he anticipates the ways in which people will misinterpret and/or fully choose to ignore the facts. Here are some of the ways: 1. disbelief in the enormous time intervals between formations2. overlooking the importance of migration3. urging the false idea of sudden groups of speciesDarwin's theory is credible and he not only anticipates the questions you now bring up, but patiently explains things until, "the main objections to the theory of natural selection are greatly diminished or disappear".
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