Monday, September 29, 2008
Charles Darwin
The fact that Charles Darwin was once a christian was very interesting to me. In fact he even attended a christian school and later when his mom died even lived at a christian school. He was even sent by the church to research and prove that God created the Earth. However, aboard the Beagle he claimed that he found evidence against the previous idea of creation by God. I'm sure you all know how I feel about evolution and if you don't I believe in creation by God. However, through this whole entire unit I have tried to stay positive and uncontroversial about the topic. His 1859 book, On the Orgin of Species is all about Darwin's theory about natural selection and evolution. The novel is supposed to explain all parts of evolution including plant evolution. I plan on reading the book someday so I will have more facts to back up my agrument. I think what is most important to pull away from this chapter is that we, as people, need to be tolerant about ideas and cultures that we don't agree with and we need to repect people to the fullest extent.
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7 comments:
I think there is room for both theories. Isn't it possible that God created the primal sludge and stuff, the components needed for evolution, and then ENACTED this, kind of like creationism OVER TIME? I mean, really looking at it, I more think evolution PROVES the existence of God, because it's just too mindbogglingly complex to just be coincidence. I mean, yeah I don't subscribe to a religion, but I still believe in a higher being, and I make room to accommodate what people have backed up with scientific fact.
This story of Darwin reminds me greatly of Martin Luther's story. Martin Luther was once a devoted Catholic who later went all agains the Catholic church and decided to start a whole new religion. At first people saw him as a drunked German who did not know what he was doing. Later his new religion, Protestantism, became very large and was accepted by many people. This new religion went agains the anciet ways of the Catholic church. Kind of how evolution is going against present day christian beliefs. At first Luther was considered psycho for going against traditional beliefs, but then suddenly what he argued made sence to the people. Protesantism became a very popular and powerful religion. Evolution goes against christianity, but didn't Luther go against the Catholic church? Without doubt, evolution will one day impact(more than it already has) the world with it's undeniable evidential findings. Maybe God created the world the way scientists say he did. Who knows? God maybe wanted change in the world so he decided to evolve animals? I believe that there is a God, but I also believe that no one knows specifically how God created the universe. There are thousands of possibilities, we however just happen to argue about two of them.
Wow, ignoring the two posters above me that used absolutely no logic in their posts, evolution is very real and natural selection is more than just evolution it is evidenced in everyday society, every ecosystem in the world, politics, and pretty much anything we do.
I was trying to identify with the poster, Kyle...this is how you argue effectively, you don't spew hate so that they won't listen to you.
Anyway, that aside, this is a very valid point. In Social Darwinism, which NO ONE disputes (Because it's a cemented historical trend), the businesses that adapt to the needs of the market thrive and those that don't flounder. The same is found in nature. You can go out and find solid evidence of creatures not adapting to their environment and, subsequently, becoming extinct. This isn't a debate, it's a fact, as it happens all the time. Evolution is just a short jump from this...one that doesn't take much logical strain to see the realistic relation to.
One thing that made me laugh was when Cherrity said that she would find some time to read Darwin's Novel. How funny!!!
Evolution is not a religion. While most religions give you three parts of Philosophy, Metaphysics (knowledge of the universe), Ethics (interpersonal treatment and behavior) and Aesthetics (Appreciation of arts), Evolution does no such thing. It is a scientific expalnation that tells you how life has changed on this planet. What are the processes and what are the details. It does not give you any ethics and it does not tell you anything about aesthetics. It is a cut and dry explantion about life on this planet. A scientific theory.
I agree with Trevor that there is room for both theories.
I personally believe that what Charles Darwin did was incredibly brave. He rejected the beliefs of his religion so quickly after he had researched the origin of life that he must have been 100% sure his theory was correct. I'm curious as to what exactly it was that he found that caused his opinion to change so drastically. I think I'll read Darwin's novel along with Cherrity so that I can learn the full story.
I don't believe in any specific theory or religion, but the idea that both evolution and the creation theory absolutely fascinates me. I'm with Trevor on this argument, there is most likely some sort of God out there that is making evolution happen.
I agree with Trevor in the fact that evolution is way too "mindbogglingly complex" to be just a coincidence. I honestly want to know where people started to say that we "came from monkeys". Darwin was brave for going against everything that his church wanted him to prove.
I thought it was interesting that Darwin was placed on the currency in London as well. I would also like to note that everything in science is based on theories and laws, just as this has been also based on theories and laws. I find Darwin to be very creative and complex in his thinking of the creation of man, and I respect him for thinking "outside of the box".
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