What limits a species life?

[Mountain man]

Sure, I understand, I'm not sure it precludes all established scientific theory, just says that what's known now is not all there is to know.

It was established scientific theory that the sun rotated round the earth, that it was flat, and more recently the atom could never be split.

How will we regard our EST in 100 years?

Edited December 28, 2014 by Mountain man

[Bren.]

But that's just the point. The parts that are accepted and not accepted are based on their conflict with religious doctrine. Relativity is fine, Evolution is not. Both are explored using the same scientific methodology.

[woodyguy]

It was never established scientific theory that the sun rotated the earth. That was a dogmatic position maintained by the church, ignoring evidence to the contrary and who burnt people who said otherwise. Not quite science.

Science once established encouraged people to challenge the established view (but only by using fact and logic, not superstition). That's why Wallace and Darwin weren't burnt at the stake but were gradually accepted as having a useful theory as it explained what we observed. That theory has stood the test of time as no evidence has been found that contradicts it. So it is ESTABLISHED until a better theory is found (possibly never).

[TIMON]

Whilst we do have a number of academics who have become fervently anti-religious, I think on the whole you will find a society that begrudges no man his religion.

Personally, I do feel that the religious right in the USA holds too much power. I also recognise that many of the people of America find the teaching of creationism/Intelligent Design as dangerous as I do.

When faith blinds a person to all other thinking then all intellectual activity becomes endangered, especially when those people of faith hold positions of power.

 

 

I watched a documentary recently where university lecturers and professors in the US who expressed their belief in intelligent design had been sacked from their positions.

 

It doesn't matter whether you believe in an intelligent designer or whether you believe we are here by accident, both viewpoints require "faith" by virtue of the fact that no one has been able to scientifically prove where and how "life"in its essence started.

 

I watched a debate where Richard Dawkins when pressed hard offered the possible explanation that life on planet Earth could have been started by aliens!! (Intelligent design)

 

I can't put much faith in his explanations.

[Bren.]

It should also be noted that Darwin himself was a man of faith and understood the implications of his work. This was a major factor in his delaying the publication of his work until Wallace inadvertently forced his hand.

[Bren.]

I watched a documentary recently where university lecturers and professors in the US who expressed their belief in intelligent design had been sacked from their positions.

It wasn't just a question of them expressing their beliefs, they were doing so in the lecture hall.

 

It doesn't matter whether you believe in an intelligent designer or whether you believe we are here by accident, both viewpoints require "faith" by virtue of the fact that no one has been able to scientifically prove where and how "life"in its essence started.

There is no faith in scientific methodology and in science you never "prove" anything.

 

I watched a debate where Richard Dawkins when pressed hard offered the possible explanation that life on planet Earth could have been started by aliens!! (Intelligent design)

This is a popular current theory, the argument for which is getting stronger as we discover more about the origins of life on Earth. The suggestion is NOT, however that aliens came to earth and decided to initiate the process that led to the creation of life, but rather that the basic building blocks of life (simple Amino Acids perhaps) landed on Earth at a time when conditions allowed them to be used to begin the process of creating simple cells.

 

I can't put much faith in his explanations.

 

 

And there's that faith word again.

[skyhuck]

I watched a documentary recently where university lecturers and professors in the US who expressed their belief in intelligent design had been sacked from their positions.

 

It doesn't matter whether you believe in an intelligent designer or whether you believe we are here by accident, both viewpoints require "faith" by virtue of the fact that no one has been able to scientifically prove where and how "life"in its essence started.

 

I watched a debate where Richard Dawkins when pressed hard offered the possible explanation that life on planet Earth could have been started by aliens!! (Intelligent design)

 

I can't put much faith in his explanations.

 

You don't need faith to accept current scientific understanding or to simply say you don't know all the facts.

 

Where faith comes in is when you start believing in things that are clearly contrary to known facts.

[TIMON]

But surely current scientific understanding is incomplete.. So to say that you believe in either view point requires application of faith.

[skyhuck]

But surely current scientific understanding is incomplete.. So to say that you believe in either view point requires application of faith.

 

 

Faith is "complete trust or confidence in someone or something" you don't need to feel that way about scientific understanding, you can simply accept current understanding as it makes sense, but be happy to accept changes as they come along and make more sense.

 

Having spent the first 30 years of my life in a strict religious community I feel most people of faith believe because they want, maybe even need to believe. Many can't face the realities of life, they need a narrative that gives it meaning and a point.

[the village idiot]

Faith is "complete trust or confidence in someone or something" you don't need to feel that way about scientific understanding, you can simply accept current understanding as it makes sense, but be happy to accept changes as they come along and make more sense.

 

Having spent the first 30 years of my life in a strict religious community I feel most people of faith believe because they want, maybe even need to believe. Many can't face the realities of life, they need a narrative that gives it meaning and a point.

 

Good post Skyhuck