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Top Non-CF Discussion "What Does RL Stand For?" Topic #1287
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ValguarneraMon 20-Aug-07 10:02 AM
Member since 04th Mar 2003
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#1288, "RE: About evolution"


          

I re-read The Origin of Species a few years ago, and it's astonishing how powerful the work is, given its publication in 1859. I have a shelf and a half of books on the topic, mostly popular science works and a few textbooks, and it's easier to find questionable statements in a book by a modern author like Dawkins or Gould than Darwin. The fact that he wrote Origin without knowing of even Mendelian genetics/DNA, or any of a host of subsequent geological discoveries makes it that much more amazing.

In my opinion, Origin is the most important and influential work of non-fiction ever written. I believe it was Gould who wrote (may have been citing someone else) that the two most crucial blows to humanity's collective hubris were Copernicus teaching us that our world was not the center of existence, and Darwin teaching us that our species is not the center of our world.

As for the "It's only a theory" crowd, they'd do better questioning the theory of gravity. (Or learning what the word 'theory' means applied to science.) We're definitely wrong about gravity at some level (at very large or very small scales, our current theories make predictions incompatible with observations), but I'm not aware of any serious challenges to Darwin.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

  

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HOT TopicAbout evolution [View all] , Nightgaunt_, Mon 20-Aug-07 09:43 AM
Reply Final thoughts., Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 08:25 AM, #72
Reply RE: Final thoughts., Nightgaunt_, 22-Aug-07 12:30 PM, #76
Reply RE: Final thoughts., Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 01:00 PM, #78
     Reply I've got to tell you:, Daevryn, 22-Aug-07 01:16 PM, #79
     Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 01:22 PM, #80
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Tac, 22-Aug-07 01:37 PM, #83
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 03:06 PM, #86
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 09:51 PM, #90
               Reply Actually, Nightgaunt_, 23-Aug-07 01:49 AM, #93
               Reply RE: Actually, Eskelian, 23-Aug-07 08:17 AM, #99
                    Reply RE: Actually, Nightgaunt_, 23-Aug-07 09:42 AM, #104
               Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Valguarnera, 23-Aug-07 07:25 AM, #95
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 09:44 PM, #89
               Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Nightgaunt_, 23-Aug-07 09:50 AM, #105
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Daevryn, 22-Aug-07 03:16 PM, #87
          Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 09:40 PM, #88
               Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Daevryn, 22-Aug-07 11:04 PM, #92
                    Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 23-Aug-07 08:01 AM, #97
                         Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Daevryn, 23-Aug-07 08:11 AM, #98
                         Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Eskelian, 23-Aug-07 08:25 AM, #100
                              Reply RE: I've got to tell you:, Daevryn, 23-Aug-07 08:52 AM, #101
                              Reply If you read something you believe to be true, Leprechaun, 23-Aug-07 09:11 AM, #102
                         Reply RE: Book Larnin, Valguarnera, 23-Aug-07 09:12 AM, #103
                              Reply RE: Book Larnin, Eskelian, 23-Aug-07 01:18 PM, #106
                                   Reply RE: Book Larnin, Valguarnera, 23-Aug-07 02:03 PM, #107
                                        Reply RE: Book Larnin, Eskelian, 03-Sep-07 03:09 PM, #112
          Reply Water is wet ..., Leprechaun, 23-Aug-07 03:18 AM, #94
     Reply RE: Final thoughts., Nightgaunt_, 22-Aug-07 01:23 PM, #81
          Reply RE: Final thoughts., Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 01:32 PM, #82
               Reply RE: Final thoughts., Nightgaunt_, 22-Aug-07 01:48 PM, #84
Reply The problematic of the issue, DurNominator, 26-Aug-07 10:18 PM, #108
Reply I feel that this is on topic, DurNominator, 12-Sep-07 04:10 PM, #117
Reply RE: About evolution, Tac, 20-Aug-07 04:52 PM, #9
Reply RE: About evolution, Daevryn, 20-Aug-07 10:02 PM, #13
     Reply RE: About evolution, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 08:47 AM, #18
          Reply RE: About evolution, Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 09:02 AM, #21
          Reply RE: About evolution, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 09:06 AM, #23
               Reply And the bottom line..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 09:16 AM, #25
               Reply RE: And the bottom line..., Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:31 PM, #44
                    Reply RE: And the bottom line..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:37 PM, #47
                         Reply Silly?, GinGa, 22-Aug-07 08:47 AM, #73
               Reply Sorta side-track, but ..., Leprechaun, 21-Aug-07 10:10 AM, #29
          Reply RE: About evolution, Daevryn, 21-Aug-07 09:38 AM, #28
Reply RE: About evolution, Isildur, 20-Aug-07 11:25 AM, #4
Reply RE: About evolution, Nightgaunt_, 20-Aug-07 01:29 PM, #6
     Reply RE: About evolution, Isildur, 20-Aug-07 05:11 PM, #10
          Reply RE: About evolution, Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 08:54 AM, #20
               Reply RE: About evolution, Isildur, 21-Aug-07 11:03 AM, #38
                    Reply Do you consider it possible to prove God exits?, Tac, 21-Aug-07 11:53 AM, #40
                         Reply RE: Do you consider it possible to prove God exits?, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:31 PM, #43
                         Reply RE: Do you consider it possible to prove God exits?, Tac, 21-Aug-07 12:33 PM, #45
                              Reply RE: Do you consider it possible to prove God exits?, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:38 PM, #48
                                   Reply Seriously?, Tac, 21-Aug-07 12:50 PM, #53
                                        Reply RE: Seriously?, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 01:12 PM, #56
                                             Reply RE: Seriously?, Tac, 21-Aug-07 02:09 PM, #58
                                                  Reply RE: Seriously?, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 08:49 AM, #74
                         Reply RE: Do you consider it possible to prove God exits?, Isildur, 21-Aug-07 03:26 PM, #61
Reply Yes, very much so, Leprechaun, 20-Aug-07 10:11 AM, #2
Reply RE: Mutation rates, Valguarnera, 20-Aug-07 10:43 AM, #3
     Reply Hey cool, thanks for the info nt, Leprechaun, 20-Aug-07 12:10 PM, #5
     Reply On the subject of mutation: Cancer, Leprechaun, 21-Aug-07 06:54 AM, #15
          Reply RE: On the subject of mutation: Cancer, Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:40 PM, #49
               Reply A small addition, GinGa, 22-Aug-07 10:12 AM, #75
Reply RE: About evolution, Valguarnera, 20-Aug-07 10:02 AM #1
     Reply RE: About evolution, Eskelian, 20-Aug-07 03:49 PM, #7
          Reply RE: About evolution, Nightgaunt_, 20-Aug-07 04:10 PM, #8
          Reply RE: About evolution, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 08:43 AM, #17
          Reply RE: Irreducible complexity, Valguarnera, 20-Aug-07 08:50 PM, #11
          Reply RE: Irreducible complexity, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 08:37 AM, #16
               Reply About random, Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 08:52 AM, #19
                    Reply RE: About random, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 09:20 AM, #24
                         Reply RE: About random, Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 09:22 AM, #26
                              Reply RE: About random, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 09:29 AM, #27
                                   Reply RE: About random, Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 09:45 AM, #30
          Reply RE: About evolution, Daevryn, 20-Aug-07 09:49 PM, #12
               Reply Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be incor..., Leprechaun, 21-Aug-07 05:19 AM, #14
               Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 09:03 AM, #22
                    Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 09:50 AM, #31
                         Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 10:26 AM, #32
                         Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 10:18 AM, #33
                         Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 10:29 AM, #34
                              Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 10:39 AM, #36
                                   Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 10:47 AM, #37
                         Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:22 PM, #42
                              Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:35 PM, #46
                                   Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:41 PM, #50
                                   Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:44 PM, #51
                                        Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:47 PM, #52
                                             Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 12:51 PM, #54
                                                  Reply RE: Solipsism:, Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 02:13 PM, #59
                                                       Reply RE: Solipsism:, Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 05:02 PM, #63
                                                            Reply RE: Solipsism:, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 07:43 AM, #68
                                   Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Daevryn, 21-Aug-07 01:10 PM, #55
                                        Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 01:34 PM, #57
                                             Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Nightgaunt_, 21-Aug-07 02:14 PM, #60
                                                  Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 21-Aug-07 04:57 PM, #62
                                                       Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Nightgaunt_, 22-Aug-07 04:22 AM, #65
                                                            Reply RE: Observables, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 07:35 AM, #67
                                                            Reply RE: Observables, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 08:06 AM, #70
                                                                 Reply RE: Observables, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 08:14 AM, #71
                                                                      Reply RE: Observables, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 12:49 PM, #77
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 02:57 PM, #85
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 10:27 PM, #91
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, Valguarnera, 23-Aug-07 07:24 AM, #96
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, DurNominator, 27-Aug-07 12:33 AM, #110
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, Eskelian, 27-Aug-07 10:32 AM, #111
                                                                           Reply Then don't, DurNominator, 03-Sep-07 03:42 PM, #113
                                                                           Reply RE: Then don't, Eskelian, 03-Sep-07 10:10 PM, #114
                                                                           Reply Re: Trolling, Daevryn, 03-Sep-07 10:41 PM, #115
                                                                           Reply RE: Re: Trolling, Tac, 04-Sep-07 08:34 AM, #116
                                                                           Reply RE: Re: Trolling, Eskelian, 18-Sep-07 10:14 PM, #118
                                                                           Reply RE: Observables, DurNominator, 26-Aug-07 11:46 PM, #109
                                                            Reply RE: Basically any theory is valid unless proven to be i..., Eskelian, 22-Aug-07 08:00 AM, #69
                         Reply Sure but txt, Larcat, 21-Aug-07 10:39 AM, #35
                              Reply RE: Sure but txt, Tac, 21-Aug-07 11:50 AM, #39
                              Reply RE: Sure but txt, Valguarnera, 21-Aug-07 12:03 PM, #41
               Reply RE: About evolution, Straklaw, 22-Aug-07 03:33 AM, #64
                    Reply RE: Mathematics, Valguarnera, 22-Aug-07 07:23 AM, #66
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