OT- Evolution

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Cpl. Kalkwarf

The Big bang is a theory much like evolution is it not?

True, there isn't a lot of hard evidence for the big bang, but it is the most logical conclusion drawn based on that which is available.
Ignoring the evidence for a moment though, the difference between creation and the big bang (or evolution for that matter) is that nobody gets all uptight when the established "facts" of the big bang/evolution are challenged or altered. Try doing that with a religion and you'll see the start of a holy war....

[95th Rifleman]

Allot of the problem is narrowminded attitudes on both sides of the divide. Check out Richard dawkins for an example of a Atheistic fundie.

The whole refusing to admit Humans are apes for instance. Humanity has a pretty arrogant view of itself and in general we consider ourselves superior and outside of otherlife on the planet. It's hard for us to acknowledge the idea that we are superior because we got lucky a million years ago when we evolved opposable thumbs.

[ShadoWarrior]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

True, there isn't a lot of hard evidence for the big bang, but it is the most logical conclusion drawn based on that which is available.

The cosmic microwave background is 'hard' evidence. It's the "proof" of the big bang. What is not well understood is the cause of the bang, not it's existence.

But that subject is cosmology, not evolution.

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's an interesting view on how arrogant humans have become as a species. I read it in Popular Science a few years back (I'll try to get you the exact issue; I probably scanned it and it's some where on one of my hard drives).

The current OPPLAN in the case of an open landing of extraterrestrials on US soil (i.e., they aren't trying to hide, land in a public place with no attempt to hide themselves -- I think the article gave the example of a landing on the Washington Mall), the plan is that the spacecraft would immediately be boarded by armed troops in Level 4 biological gear and we would take control of it. The actual ETs would be taken to one of several possible secure facilities around the country (the CDC and Fort Dietrick are a couple of the places mentioned) and placed in complete isolation until the government decides that they prove no threat.

Here's the one-foot kicker: Even an intelligent ET species is, by US law, considered to be an animal -- a complex biological creature, but not human -- and our government is under no obligation to afford the ETs any of the rights one might give to a human.

Here's the two-foot kicker: US law would also classify them as illegal aliens, which means that we would have the right to imprison them and put them through the immigration system. On top of that, if our wonderful government felt that they posed any harm, the full force of the PATRIOT Act could be brought against them. (Assuming that we don't just fall back to "animal" definition and kill them, then possibly even serve them up for dinner in a light wine sauce.)

What really got me about that article is that the US government thought that if an extraterrestrial species advanced enough to travel the stars were to land on the Washington Mall, we could manage to do ANY of that to them.

[ShadoWarrior]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

What really got me about that article is that the US government thought that if an extraterrestrial species advanced enough to travel the stars were to land on the Washington Mall, we could manage to do ANY of that to them.

Sounds like whomever wrote that 'plan' watched the original early 50s version of The Day the Earth Stood Still, failed to learn any of the messages the story was trying to impart, and wants to make the exact same stupid, silly mistakes the US government makes in that movie.

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality -- Ayn Rand

Which is a simple fact that, unfortunately, none of the major political parties in the U.S. comprehend, especially the far-right ones.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by ShadoWarrior

The cosmic microwave background is 'hard' evidence. It's the "proof" of the big bang. What is not well understood is the cause of the bang, not it's existence.

By "hard evidence" I was trying to say that the data is there, but the interpretation of it could be off. It's not my area of expertise though but as the data has only been known a realtively short time (a few decades) and fossils, etc have been known about for much much longer....

Anyway, the point is simple - not many scientific types go to war/declare jihad/crusade when their ideas and beliefs are challenged.