Why do some people accept Evolution as fact?

Question

I was having a conversation with my boyfriend last night, and I was telling him about how some of the atheists on here respond with "you can't prove it" alot. (No offense, it's a fact).

And he said, "Prove gravity to me". I said, "I can give you a measurement for it, and I can explain the process of something falling, or two things falling at the same rate, no matter what their size." He said, "That doens't prove anything to me but that science has found something unexplainable and given it a measurement and tried to describe it. It's can't be fully explained...like why it was created, or how it exists."

After this, he told me that it's the same way with Evolution. It's a THEORY that just happens to be so widely accepted that most people hardly stop to question it anymore. It hasn't been scientifically proven to the bone.

I told him that the scientists have found fossil records and studied invertebrates, etc. and that they say it's proof enough.

Answer 1

Because it has been taught to them that way.



Most of the facts that are used to explain it are about Micro or species evolution. Which explains why species evolve within their species.



The huge problem with Evolution comes in where we are asked to believe that one species became a completely different one over time, randomly. There has never been a series of links from even one species to another, say from raccoon to rabbit or fish to fowl.



Anecdotal evidence does not prove that theory, information such as birds and reptiles have common traits. Darwin said that if his theory was true there would be multitudes of links between species in the fossil record. Since Darwin's time we have had over a hundred years of looking for just one series of links between one species and another and even at the microscopic level where we can observe millions of generations, there is no evidence of one completely different species becoming another one.



Yes the theory makes some sense, but there are not the proofs, it is the most developed theory we have, so scientists are loathe to give it up.

Answer 2

Actually your boyfriend's logic is flawed. I know I don't understand gravity very well but I do know that it is the only logical answer to the problem so by process of elimination and evidences I know gravity exists. It doesn't need to be created as for the how it's just a way the universe acts.



As for eveoluion theory is one of the highest places for a scientific idea. So saying it's just a theory is like saying "it's just a law the country made". We have some full fossil records but yes not all are complete and no we don't understand evolution 100% we're still working on the specifics. Also if all organisms are made of the same things have the same origins then one would expect that evolution happens in one organism it'll happen in another.



Evolution is scientifically sound and proven we're just working on the details.

Answer 3

Gravity is not unexplainable. Einstein showed how it works, and we have evidence. It is the bending of space-time by objects that have mass.



What many people don't understand is the definition of the word "theory". It is not merely a guess. It is a hypothesis for which substantial proof has been found and agreed upon and shown to be a reliable explanation for the observed phenomena.



We have evidence in the form of the fossil record, DNA and experiment that shows the theory of evolution to be a reliable description of the processes observed on our planet.



The word "fact" is seldom used in science. We know that if we get enough fissionable material in a certain area, that critical mass will be achieved. This is enough of a fact that most people won't say "It's just a theory that this will blow up" ... we won't be there. The theory says that a chain reaction will ensue. It's not a scientific "fact" but a theory.



I don't see why so many creationists wish to deride the word "theory". I wonder if they would be the ones to hang around the bomb because it's just a "theory".



Edit:

In looking at the ruler analogy ... even if some of the numbers are missing, I've still got a ruler ... there is something tangible to show that there is a process behind what I see. Even incomplete evidence is evidence. I'll put a theory which has been shown to be reliable up against popular opinion based on a tale thousands of years old made up by people who weren't trying to offer a scientific explanation in the first place.

Answer 4

Nothing in Science can be proven. However, we have theories that are well-tested hypotheses, which over time have held consistent and not been disproven. While nothing can be absolutely proven, things CAN be dispoven.



Everything that you know of was something that was unexplainable that somebody measured and gave a name to and described it. That's called "Explaining it."



For example, we know Gravity exists because the theory can be tested by anyone at any time, demonstrated and shown to be accurate. For example, pick up your mouse, hold it in the air, then drop it and observe what happens. Gravity gives a valid explanation for what happens, and this experiment verifies the concepts stated in Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation.



Evolution, as such, can be tested and verified as a plausible answer, where Creationism CANNOT. Just because we cannot identify every single shift on the evolutionary scale yet, because we have not done enough study and discovery, doesn't mean the theory, as it stands, is in ANY way invalid.



It seems to me your issue isn't with Science, because you clearly don't know much of it. I think your issue is with something else.



The short answer is that a little research through real scientific literature is all you need to dispel the kind of ignorance your "friend" was shoveling.

Answer 5

Evolution has science behind it.



Creationism has.........Faith. Faith that what was passed down orally in a parable several hundred years ago is true. Hundreds of years ago we had little knowledge of the world and the universe it lives in, so language that could be comprehended was used.



When Galileo said that the earth was not the center of the universe he was put under house arrest by the Pope. Later he was proved right but it was too late for Galileo as he was very dead by then. What happened to faith then? "Oh, we don't talk about that much anymore."



Science has displaced most of the gods that we as humans worshiped in the past. When we could prove that the Earth orbiting the sun gave the impression that the sun was rising and setting in the sky, we stopped worshiping the sun gods.



As the unanswered questions get answered the gods fall away. How many unanswered questions do we have left?

Answer 6

Your boyfriend is mistaken in a few different ways. First, general relativity explains the mechanism by which gravity occurs. It's the result of curvatures in spacetime which cause an object's 4-dimensional momentum vector to change direction from being parallel to the time dimension into moving through spatial dimensions as well. The amount of curvature determines acceleration.



And there are two things about evolution: It's a theory, and it's also a fact. The theory of evolution proposes a mechanism by which the fact of evolution is explained. However, it is a fact that allele frequencies in populations change over time. That's simply not disputable.



And his claim "it doesn't explain why it was created" is simply expecting more of science than it's capable of providing. Science doesn't explain "why" things exist. It describes their behavior. Philosophy explains "why."



EDIT: The problem with your boyfriend's ruler analogy is that it doesn't have anything to do with evolution. Evolution is a theory that explains the fossil record we have (along with DNA similarities and differences). The fact that the fossil record is incomplete doesn't discount the validity of the theory in explaining the parts of the fossil record that are complete.



Essentially, what he's saying is equivalent to saying "You don't know how much gravitational force Alpha Centauri exerts on Venus, therefore gravity is not proven."

Answer 7

I'm a Christian, and evolution is a fact. Read The Language of God by Francis Collins. He is a former atheist and now a devout Christian. I guarantee that you will become a believer in evolution after reading this book.



Also, you misunderstand the scientific definition of a theory. You are thinking of a hypothesis. A theory is supported by evidence. A hypothesis is what needs to be tested. Evolution has plenty of evidence. And with that said. It's either God is testing us with this evidence, which would make Him a deceiver, or evolution is true. Which would you prefer? I don't think God is a deceiver. That leaves evolution as being a fact. It's a great read.

Answer 8

Your boyfriend doesn't know the definition of the word "evolution."

"Evolution" means "changes that take place over a period of time." Even the most die-hard creationists can not deny that this happens, it is easily demonstrable. I'm sure he has no problem believing in what creationists like to call "Micro" evolution, (meaning small changes) but will then say he doesn't believe in what creationists like to call "macro" evolution. In truth, there is NO "micro" vs "macro". All evolution is micro-evolution. But when you take small changes, and then add millions of years into the mix, the changes ADD UP. You will not see differences from generation to generation...meaning generations that are close together, but you will see differences in generations that are very far apart.

That is how evolution works.



He also doesn't know the definition of the word "theory", either, which is clear by his saying "It's a THEORY that just happens to be so widely accepted that most people hardly stop to question it anymore." In science, the word theory is not something that is interchangeable with the words "opinion", "belief", or "hypothesis". In science, the word "theory" means "a comprehensive explanation of why and how a specific natural phenomenon occurs."

Your boyfriend is clearly not the most educated person to discuss things like this with. Stick to reading science books.



Edit: The "missing links" argument is also a fallicious argument. The ONLY way that all the "links" could be filled in would be to find an ancient fossil, and then find EVERY SINGLE descendant of that fossil right up to modern times. That is impossible. There is no magical "link", where one generation looks a certain way, and then all of a sudden the next generation looks a different way. Life does not progress up a hierarchical ladder, but is a branching bush with numerous lineages splitting apart and coexisting simultaneously.



http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-misconceptions.html

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html

http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/~macrae/talk_origins.html

Answer 9

Why do human beings continually imagine that evolution continually should be the reason behind each and each of the distinct existence varieties in the international, otherwise an finished lie? As a Christian and a wondering man or woman, i understand that evolution is a actuality- that's been spoke of in numerous laboratories around the international that, by the years, organisms can adapt to their surroundings, organic determination weeds out the susceptible, etc. that is a actuality. Does that advise that, because this phenomena takes position, each existence type on earth is consequently of the organic determination from a unmarried worry-free ancestor? per chance sure, per chance no. we can't tell from our adventure and observations precisely how each organism got here to be in basic terms from the actuality that a fruit fly stepped ahead extra wings over some generations. it variety of feels to me that maximum folk take the actuality that evolution takes position and take it way too a options. They anticipate that, because the Bible's for sure a fairy-tale (an inference which, via the way, isn't the end of impartial study or personal adventure, regularly in basic terms their personal doubt), then enable's search for the most a probability naturalistic clarification. Oh look, evolution matches the bill- we now understand how existence got here about. in basic terms because animals adapt to their surroundings and organic determination feeds out the susceptible does not advise that God did not create the universe... in basic terms some thing to imagine about.

Answer 10

First Which evolution you are talking about?



1.- Cosmic evolution.- The origin of time,space and matter. Big Bang theory.

Where did all matter came from?



2.- Chemical Evolution.- The origin of higher elements from hydrogen? How we got all the other elements? Who was first the stars or the elements?



3.- Stellar and planetary evolution. Nobody knows and has seen How a star is born. Nobody has a clue on it.



4.- Organic Evolution. Origin of life. How life started with non living material. Also nobody knows How this happens.



5.- Macro Evolution. Changing from one kind into another. Nobody have seen a dog produce a non dog. Dog and a wolf are the same kind but different specie.



6.- Micro Evolution. Variation within kinds.

Yes this is the only one that has been observed.



The first 5 are religious - non science.



Second your boy friend used a bad example that is all.



The fossil record does not probe anything and they know it. That is an evolutionist jock to ignorance.



Concluding Evolution is a religion YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT UNIVERSE WAS DONE FROM NOTHING. AND LIFE WAS PRODUCE FROM NOTHING.



Don't you think you have to have a lot of faith to believe in this, than on a creator?

Answer 11

I can prove to you scientifically how gravity exists, it has to do with Earth's force field and place in the Universe, and how all the molecules that make up the air make gravity etc. etc. That science has taken something that was unexplainable and explained it proves that it exists. How do you prove anything exists? By proving it scientifically. How else would you know how something exists. The fossil records do prove that evolution has taken place and continues to take place, as plants and animals continue to evolve and adapt to their changing environments. BUT, just because evolution exists, does not mean that God didn't make it so. Evolution and God are not mutually exclusive concepts. God made the planet to evolve. Simple as that.

Answer 12

One might say the same thing about the principles of electronics, like Kirkoff's (sp?) Law, or voltage, or current. There's a phenomenon, and we figured out a way to measure it. But why is it there? How does it exist? Your boyfriend's points are well-taken, but they can apply to any phenomenon. So it becomes something of a double standard. Why is it okay to accept gravity and electricity without those questions, but we cannot accept evolution without it? How much more evidence is required? We develop antibiotics and antivirals using evolutionary thought, not to mention many other pieces of evidence that you yourself are aware of. So why add the additional burden of proof to evolutionary theory that isn't present on other disciplines and phenomena?

Answer 13

If you keep bringing it up as an argument, are you really interested in the souls of those you are arguing with, or are you interested in being right and getting brownie points from God?



The physical laws that govern this world are set in place for our physical bodies.



To call the force that keeps things on the planet "gravity" gives us all a common ground on which to give reference to one another when we are communicating.



Gravity is a Law, not a theory.



The Theory of Music came after music. That does not mean that music does not exist. It means we can now create incredible amounts of it if we educate one another about it.



We are searching for common ground.

Answer 14

Consider this Evidence.



The Young Age of the Earth

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1272542059740401469



Fingerprints of Creation

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5725394906886443944



Earth Science Associates: Center of the Universe

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3846063161072703697



The Origin of Man by Dr. Duane Gish

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2863648693594434534





Evolution: Challenge of the Fossil Record - Part 1 of 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NkO6fQvydM



Neanderthals - Smarter Then We Thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxL636n3w2o



Did the Miller Experiment Solve the Origin of Life Puzzle?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8297639223266639661



Skull Fossils - As Empty as the Evolutionary Theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yu5jN897kM



Dinosaurs: Those Terrible Lizards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVvGByvp13Q

Answer 15

I explain to you what a deck of cards is, or a ruler. I give you details of what it is, how it works. I then give you a deck of cards without all the cards or a ruler missing some graduations. Can you tell they are a deck of cards and a ruler? Of course you can. Just because all the data hasn't been discovered, that some is missing from our knowledge, doesn't make it wrong. If the data still accurately predicts observed facts then the theory is still valid.

Answer 16

-Evidence that Supports Evolution



Homologous Structures

Vestigial Organs

Genome Synteny

Gene Order

Wobble Position Sequence

Intron Sequence

Pseudogene Sequence

Retroviruses

Transponsons

Human Chromosome #2

Beneficial Mutations

Molecular Clock

Neanderthal DNA

New Genes

Microevolution

Macroevolution (Speciation)

New Structures

Biogeography

Natural Selection

Adaptation

Genetic Drift

Gene Flow

Variation

Stratigraphy

Order Of Fossils (Plants too)

Transitional Fossils

Information Theory and over 200,000 peer-reviewed papers



There is a lot more evidence for evolution than gravity.

Answer 17

Tell him:



(1) Human Endogenous RetroViruses (HERVs)

(2) Human Chromosome #2

(3) Vestigiality

(4) Fossil record (which will never be absolutely complete, so he can abandon THAT fantasy)



Or, if he's interested in evidence beyond homo sapiens, tell him to look up Tiktaalik and Archaeopteryx.



Also, PLEASE tell him to look up the meaning of the word "theory" in the context of science. It does NOT mean "conjecture; a guess" like it does in everyday vernacular. It means something completely different. A theory in science is a testable model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena (FACTS), capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through empirical observation.



Basically, The Theory of Evolution is our best explanation for the FACT of evolution. It has been tested and scrutinized for over 150 years, and is supported by all the relevant observations.

Answer 18

*Sigh*



Evolution is both a fact and a theory.



A theory is a model by which we describe the process and make testable predictions. It has all kinds of evidence backing it, and it is always subject to modification pending new evidence. Nothing is EVER 100% in science, since our models are unlikely to be "perfect". They do get more and more accurate...as have the theories of gravity and evolution.

Answer 19

Evolution is a fact. Through mutations, different spices have changed to make their lives easier in their environment, such as color changes to blend in, or stronger arms to help them climb. But as for it being a theory, you could say the exact same thing about religion. Some people question it, and we Atheists are looked down upon just like people who don't believe in religion.

Answer 20

everything in science is a theory, just evolution, gravity, reality etc... have immense amounts of evidence to back them that its common place to be taken as fact. Evolution of some variety IS FACT!

Answer 21

I find it hard to believe that many people believe in the "Adam & Eve" therory. As far a proff on tjhe Evelution Therory there are thousands and thousands of Fosals, showing the path of Evolution.

Answer 22

To answer your final question, "Why do we fight?"...

People like to feel that they are right, and often see anyone who believes differently as a threat to their personal beliefs. When people are truly happy with their lives and confident about their points of view, they come to realize that what others think doesn't matter. But most people, regardless of age, are not yet strong enough to come to that understanding.

Answer 23

Evolution is indeed a fact. I believe it is how God created us and the world. Perhaps Adam and Eve were the first with souls. We can see evolution at work around us in the world today. Sometimes it moves at a snails pace and other times there are remarkable changes in a few generations.

Answer 24

Who is he? Rene Descartes? True we cannot "prove" anything. Gravity, Quantum and Thermodynamics, Evolution all are theories. But theories are hypotheses that have been not disproven in trials so many times that they are generally accepted as "fact".

Answer 25

because you don't know what you're talking about. evolution IS a fact. the theory of evolution is a theory.



here's another way to look at it: there is ZERO evidence against the theory of evolution.



in contrast, the list goes on and on for evidence against the bible.

Answer 26

We can explain why gravity exists.

It wasn't "created". Nothing was.

And Your misunderstanding of science is showing by your capitalization of the word theory. A theory is a very well respected proposal that has withstood some amount of scrutiny.



And by saying evolution isn't true, he is saying dead animals pass on their traits just as well as living ones. That is insane.

Answer 27

For the same reason they accept that very silly theory that the earth revolves around the sun, or that the earth rotates on an axis! We all know the earth is stationary. Just look up in the sky and watch the sun move! Geeeezzz! LOL!

Answer 28

why don't you and your boyfriend run down to the library and read about the theory of evolution and the evidence that supports it. there is plenty.

you want something concrete for real? read!

Answer 29

Oh for crying out loud...



If that's all your boyfriend knows about gravity in science, then he obviously didn't do science.



LEARN THE F*CKING DEFINITION OF THEORY IN A SCIENTIFIC CONTEXT MORON.



Evolution has been proven to have happened. Creationists have been proven time and again to be absolute morons. Sorry, but you lose.



EDIT: And the added info there just shows your boyrfriend either knows nothing about science or he's flat-out lying. The metaphor is entirely uncorrect, and since he has no evidence to back it up, then stating it is just a lie.

Answer 30

your boyfriend is talking about mathematical proofs . these are absolute proofs.

empirical proofs are proofs that show how a model of reality describes to some accuracy reality.

evolution can never be proven mathematicly,



dont you have better things to discuss with you boyfriend ?;)

Answer 31

Gravity isn't magic. It's explainable. Look it up. It's caused by physical mass.

Answer 32

Because it is a fact.



Just like the THEORY of gravity, the theory of evolution is supported by mountain-loads of evidence.

Answer 33

Tell him to learn what the scientific definition of the word theory is because he obviously doesn't have a clue.

Evolution is a proven fact and only the ignorant or those who don't want to believe it say otherwise.

Answer 34

I'm not reading all that. hahaha



I'm a christian. I accept Evolution. Things change over time. mutations occur. its a fact. I do not believe we came from monkeys or something. I dont believe in Speciality ( or however you spell it) I dont believe one animal can turn into another. but i do believe mutations occur and they change to adapt to their environment. There's different levels of Evolution and i dont agree with all of it but to some extent i do.

Answer 35

Phew..... and they say us Christians and believers in Creationism get defensive when questioned..... look at the name calling and tempers here!!!!



Tsk Tsk Tsk...... your doubts in your own theories and ideals are showing people.......

Answer 36

all of science is based on theories. A theory is only in "fashion" until it is displaced by a newer theory.

Answer 37

people think its a fact..because..well you know how it says to have sex with your own kid is a sin...well some where along the road..adam had to have sex with eve..then even either had to have sex with there son..or adam had to have sex with there daughter...to populate..get what im saying?

Answer 38

i have proof that God is real. Jesus is real. i know them and have felt their presence . i have experience things in my life where there was no explanation except - God.

evolution is silly when you think about it.

Answer 39

The way you capitalise the word theory shows me you don't know what that means.

Answer 40

Because we have proof of it, which is proof that creation is wrong.

Answer 41

i agree that neither side has 100% evidence, but come oon now, talking serpents?

Answer 42

Evolution is a fact!



We actually have proof to prove it.

Answer 43

I guess it has more backbone and hard evidence than the bibe does.

Answer 44

Evolution is based on facts, anyone who doesn't see it, LOL..I find that disturbing.

Answer 45

Because they are educated realists, is the usual reason.

Answer 46

Its not a theory. God only knows. Now, pizza is the greatest good on earth is a fact.

Answer 47

I don't know...

Answer 48

ignorance

Answer 49

A key factor that we all must recognize is that the vast majority of scientists who believe in evolution are also atheists or agnostics. There are some who hold to some form of theistic evolution, and others who take a deistic view of God (God exists but is not involved in the world...everything proceeds along a natural course). There are some who genuinely and honestly look at the data and arrive at the conclusion that evolution betters fits with the data. Again, though, these represent an insignificant portion of scientists who advocate evolution. The vast majority of evolutionary scientists hold that life evolved entirely without ANY intervention of a higher Being. Evolution is by definition a naturalistic science.



For atheism to be true, there must be an alternate explanation for how the universe and life came into existence. Although beliefs in some form of evolution predated Charles Darwin, Darwin was the first to develop a plausible model for how evolution could have occurred - natural selection. Darwin once identified himself as a Christian, but later renounced the Christian faith and the existence of God as a result of some tragedies that took place in his life. Evolution was "invented" by an atheist. Darwin's goal was not to disprove God's existence, but that is one of the end results of the theory of evolution. Evolution is an enabler of atheism. Evolutionary scientists today likely would not admit that their goal is to give an alternate explanation of the origins of life, and thereby to give a foundation for atheism. However, according to the Bible, that is exactly why the theory of evolution exists.



The Bible tells us, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). The Bible also proclaims that people are without excuse for not believing in a Creator God, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). According to the Bible, anyone who denies the existence of God is a fool. Why, then, are so many people, including some Christians, willing to accept that evolutionary scientists are unbiased interpreters of scientific data? According to the Bible, they are all fools! Foolishness does not imply a lack of intelligence. Most evolutionary scientists are brilliant intellectually. Foolishness indicates an inability to properly apply knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 tells us, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."



Evolutionary scientists mock Creation and/or Intelligent Design as unscientific and not worthy of scientific examination. In order for something to be considered a "science," they argue, it must be able to be observed and tested, it must be "naturalistic." Creation is by definition "supernatural." God, and the supernatural, cannot be observed or tested (so the argument goes), therefore Creation and/or Intelligent Design cannot be considered a science. As a result, all data is filtered through the preconceived, presupposed, and pre-accepted theory of evolution, without alternate explanations being considered.



However, the origin of the universe and the origin of life cannot be tested or observed. Both Creation and evolution are faith-based systems when they speak of origins. Neither can be tested because we cannot go back billions (or thousands) of years to observe the origin of the universe and life in the universe. Evolutionary scientists reject Creation on grounds that would logically force them to also reject evolution as a "scientific" explanation of origins. Evolution, at least in regards to origins, does not fit the definition of “science” any more than Creation does. Evolution is supposedly the only explanation of origins that can be tested; therefore, it is the only theory of origins that can be considered "scientific." This is foolishness! Scientists who advocate evolution are rejecting a plausible theory of origins without even honestly examining its merits, because it does not fit their illogically narrow definition of "science."



If Creation is true, then there is a Creator to Whom we are accountable. Evolution is an enabler for atheism. Evolution gives atheists a basis for explaining how life exists apart from a Creator God. Evolution denies the need for a God to be involved in the universe. Evolution is the “creation theory” for the “religion” of atheism. According to the Bible, the choice is clear. We can believe the Word of our omnipotent and omniscient God, or we can believe the illogically biased, "scientific" explanations of fools.