Quote:
Originally Posted by theking
I will repeat...to the best of my knowledge there is not any evidence of macro evolution...other than the assumption that since there is some evidence of micro evolution...macro evolution must have taken place...but that leaves macro evolution it in the area of "belief" without any supporting evidence other than an "assumption".
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Everything is assumption. There are no absolutes. This is Pholosophy 101.
Science is and always has been a process of falsification. You observe, based on what you observe (since it's impossible to observe all individual occurrences of anything to the point that you have a valid and absolute generalization), make a theory, and with that theory, state predictions.
If your predictions don't come true (u.e. is falsified), then you know that your theory is false. if your predictions do come true, you work with that theory as the basis for your conclusions until something better (perhaps more general) comes along and racks up accurate predictions in an area that your theory falls short.
That's the way science has worked since the beginning of time.
And everything that is science right now points toward natural selection as the way of things - both on the macro and micro scale. Darwin, Sagan, Crick... all their work tends to lend to the believe that we evolve. Entire species of animals adapt to their surroundings... ecosystems present environments where species must find their niche, or suffer extinction as they find themselves without a pot to piss in.
Sure there's room for the intelligent design arguement... I, personally, certainly think it's possible that we had a helping hand somewhere along the way.... but that doesn't make the process of evolution (both on a micro and macro scale) any less valid.
In response to RayVega, my advice is to just tell her what you said here... while emphasizing that she should respect other people's beliefs, the simple fact of the matter is that you feel people don't like not knowing things - and before we had microscopes, and telescopes, and all the stuff we have today, people invented stories (possibly based partially (/metophorically) in truth) to explain the unknown. stars were the fallen warriors, and disease was a curse, and lightning was the anger of a big guy in the sky who threw lightning bolts. Now, we know better... but there are still some unknowns that make people uneasy - like where we go when we die, and what our purpose is here... and in order to satisfy their lack of knowledge - instead of just realizing that they do not know - some people feel more comfortable having stories to fall back on. Aside from that, I'd say let her find her own path - she's going to have to eventually... just be a source of inspiration to her in her life.