"For someone wanting to be intellectually honest, surely you have to appreciate the complex issues involved in this topic for individuals and society. Therefore, to use one-liners like "The evidence is overwhelming" and "To deny the veracity of the theory can only call into question the denier’s intellectual honesty or cognitive competence" is unhelpful."
The evidence is overwhelming. Education is the answer.
“just trust others' assurances about this overwhelming evidence.”
Absolutely not an option that I would recommend. Question everything. But you cannot examine every piece of evidence yourself. You have to trust the conclusions of the peer-respected, educated and intelligent among us.
“But the debate is quite polarised, so who do I trust?
You trust your common sense, albeit with the realization that humans are prone to see patterns where there are none, and import intent where there is none. The debate is polarised. However the evidence is hugely weighted in favour of the side of evolution. The creation side only has ‘faith’.
“I highly doubt that. Historically, scientists who are creationists have made useful contributions to the life sciences. Mendel being a more famous example. Creationists agree with many foundational principles of biology, including genetic variation of populations over time, and natural selection. The thing that's in dispute is whether such mechanisms can take the credit for making life as we know it today from goo millions of years ago.”
It is good that you doubt it. Now go and investigate it. Having a strong background in biological science I stand by my assertion. Nothing....absolutely nothing makes sense without evolution. I have said before, christians can do good science. This doesn’t provide any support for the truth of their religious beliefs. I don’t think there is any doubt amongst the knowledgeable that the mechanism can take credit for making life as we know it. We may not yet know all the details but there is no room for god in these gaps.
"For someone wanting to be intellectually honest, surely you have to appreciate the complex issues involved in this topic for individuals and society. Therefore, to use one-liners like "The evidence is overwhelming" and "To deny the veracity of the theory can only call into question the denier’s intellectual honesty or cognitive competence" is unhelpful."
The evidence is overwhelming. Education is the answer.
“just trust others' assurances about this overwhelming evidence.”
Absolutely not an option that I would recommend. Question everything. But you cannot examine every piece of evidence yourself. You have to trust the conclusions of the peer-respected, educated and intelligent among us.
“But the debate is quite polarised, so who do I trust?
You trust your common sense, albeit with the realization that humans are prone to see patterns where there are none, and import intent where there is none. The debate is polarised. However the evidence is hugely weighted in favour of the side of evolution. The creation side only has ‘faith’.
“I highly doubt that. Historically, scientists who are creationists have made useful contributions to the life sciences. Mendel being a more famous example. Creationists agree with many foundational principles of biology, including genetic variation of populations over time, and natural selection. The thing that's in dispute is whether such mechanisms can take the credit for making life as we know it today from goo millions of years ago.”
It is good that you doubt it. Now go and investigate it. Having a strong background in biological science I stand by my assertion. Nothing....absolutely nothing makes sense without evolution. I have said before, christians can do good science. This doesn’t provide any support for the truth of their religious beliefs. I don’t think there is any doubt amongst the knowledgeable that the mechanism can take credit for making life as we know it. We may not yet know all the details but there is no room for god in these gaps.