Evolution

[dog]

Originally posted by Neil Caple:
Some people think they can win the lottery THIS WEEK, so wait a few million years on a few billion planets and life is a dead certainty. We just got lucky.

Even with a billion planets the odds are still a billion billion to one of life ever happening by chance. Also how do you explain an increase in genetic information over the years ? There is no evidence for this happening in nature.

Dog

In an infinite universe with untold numbers of stars, the odds don't bother me one iota. I told you we just got lucky.

As you're into probabilities, what are the chances of an omniscient, omnipresent being existing and then what are the odds of that being deciding one day to just create life out of nothing on this little planet of ours?

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The man o' independent mind,
He looks an' laughs at a' that.

[Zeke]

I explain the increase in genetic information with the increase in technology.

it's amazing to think about how many stars are out there and how many planets are around each of those stars. even if just one planet out of 'untold numbers' of stars
were habitable (the conditions that we have here on earth) thats a whole 'nother planet full of life. Say that planet was formed at the same time as ours, or a million years before, it doesn't matter. Do you think they are sitting around praying to God? God was created by us. As we evolved physically, our minds would inevitably follow allowing for high levels of creativity as well as scientific reasoning.

[dog]

This is a somewhat unconventional theory as most cosmologists believe the universe to be finite. The odds were just to show how improbable life by chance actually is. I acknowledge that it is (mathematically) possible, I just consider it to be so unlikely that I don't believe it.

As for the odds of God existing, I think that question is impossible to answer. Given that god does exist the odds of creation happening are also unknown.

By the increase in genetic information I meant the following. According to the theory of evolution at some point in the past there were single celled creatures only. Then a few billion years later we had birds with genetic information for wings. How did that information arise. did this happen in one generation? did it take millions of years for wings to be created ? If so why is there nothing in the fossil evidence to support this ?

Dog

The Universe is infinite and I do not think you will find a single cosmologist who thinks otherwise, so please name one. If it is finite, what's beyond it?

Evolution happens gene by gene, mutation by mutation, over millions of years. That's the whole point.

You have a damned cheek trying to rubbish evolution by quoting what you regard as impossible odds and then asserting that you do not need to apply the same scientific rigour to the question of God's existence because He just does. If you can't argue your case logically, don't bother.

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The man o' independent mind,
He looks an' laughs at a' that.

[Goose]

Thought I'd take a moment to post some of those unlucky people who are suffering just because their unlucky number came up in the gene tide pool.

Alzheimer's Disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Osteoarthritis
Hearing Loss
Alcoholism
Drug Abuse
etc.



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Goose
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"All science has one aim, namely, to find a theory of nature." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

[dog]

Originally posted by Neil Caple:
The Universe is infinite and I do not think you will find a single cosmologist who thinks otherwise, so please name one. If it is finite, what's beyond it?

Evolution happens gene by gene, mutation by mutation, over millions of years. That's the whole point.

You have a damned cheek trying to rubbish evolution by quoting what you regard as impossible odds and then asserting that you do not need to apply the same scientific rigour to the question of God's existence because He just does. If you can't argue your case logically, don't bother.

I've consulted with a friend of mine who is studying astronomical physics at the PhD level who tells me that the standard theories of cosmology say that there is a finite amount of material in the universe and so at a finite distance from us. Consult Stephen Hawkings book "A brief history of time" if want to know more about the standard theories of cosmology.

I notice that you don't answer my point about there being no fossil evidence for intermediate creatures (a creature with an intermediate wing structure for example). There are fossilized lizards and fossilized birds but no fossilized in-between creatures with in-between wings.

As for the suggestion that I "have a damned cheek" please try not to personalize this debate. I used to think exactly like you until I was born again so I know the basics of the theory of evolution and cosmology as well. I respect your point of view (at one time it was my point of view as well)

I can't provide a probability for the existence of god. It is not even clear in my head that this is a meaningful question to ask! If you think that you know what the probability of God existing is then please inform everyone, with an explanation if possible. If you can't then please don't mock me for not providing an answer.

Also I didn't suggest that you or anyone else doesn't neeed to consider the odds of god existing and if he did what the odds of creation are. I suggested that I don't know what they are and I find it hard to believe that someone could put a numerical value to this question.

Dog