Do you believe in ...

[Arakhor]

What with Ace99 and Azzaman voting for every option, the oddball options are more highly-weighted than they would be otherwise. Accuracy, who needs accuracy!

 

[ace99]

You can deduct my vote from everything except evolution, global warming, gravity, moon landing, and big bang.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I will do no such thing.

 

[Glassfan]

It's extremely gratifying to know that our spare-no-expense Hollywood production of the moon-landing has been so utterly convincing. Boy, are the Chinese in for a surprise if they try to land there and sink into the moon-cheese...

 

[El_Machinae]

@Arakhor, Well the term theory is the wrong word to use for Evolution. A better word would to that it is an hypothesis.

No, you're incorrect in your nomenclature.

An hypothesis is a prediction that can be measured. Models and theories both help generate hypotheses, which then can be tested and the hypothesis then validated or invalidated.

The theory of coin-flipping is that coins land on either heads or tails, because they preferentially land on their flat side and each side is just as likely to land facing up. The hypothesis is that the average of many coin-tosses is roughly 50% heads and 50% tails. If we tested the hypothesis with 100 tosses, and got 60% heads, that would show that the hypothesis was not validated. Would this disprove the theory? No, of course not. We'd look for extra information in order to figure out went wrong with the theory.

Evolution is a theory, it has broad explanatory power. It generates hypotheses that are then tested.

(I always thought the lyrics were "Do you believe in life after love?")

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well, it's not really my area of expertise.

edit: upon closer inspection it seems my joke option was a joke

 

[El_Machinae]

That's okay! I totally clicked that option because I knew what you were going for

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well I did include the option "love after life"

 

[hobbsyoyo]

No, you're incorrect in your nomenclature.

An hypothesis is a prediction that can be measured. Models and theories both help generate hypotheses, which then can be tested and the hypothesis then validated or invalidated.

The theory of coin-flipping is that coins land on either heads or tails, because they preferentially land on their flat side and each side is just as likely to land facing up. The hypothesis is that the average of many coin-tosses is roughly 50% heads and 50% tails. If we tested the hypothesis with 100 tosses, and got 60% heads, that would show that the hypothesis was not validated. Would this disprove the theory? No, of course not. We'd look for extra information in order to figure out went wrong with the theory.

Evolution is a theory, it has broad explanatory power. It generates hypotheses that are then tested.

(I always thought the lyrics were "Do you believe in life after love?")

We might as well give up. How many threads have we spent explaining this? How many opinions have we changed?

They aren't going to stop calling it a hypothesis or 'just a theory' because that's really their only line of attack against evolution.
______________

I didn't vote for E.T. or alien life because there is just a lack of evidence. I do *think* it's out there and is virtually a statistical certainty, but there's just no data. So I can't say I believe in it without being hypocritical with respect towards my beliefs on God.

 

[Arakhor]

Well, Ziggy did say to vote in favour if you were in favour of it being true.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Oooooh.
Crap.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

That is one way of looking at it.

 

[Arakhor]

But it was only a pillock making a poll as the author would have us know, so dinna fash yersel.

 

[Leoreth]

We might as well give up. How many threads have we spent explaining this? How many opinions have we changed?

They aren't going to stop calling it a hypothesis or 'just a theory' because that's really their only line of attack against evolution.

I'm less concerned about CH than the casual reader or lurker who might have thought that he made a good point there, which he didn't.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I'm less concerned about CH than the casual reader or lurker who might have thought that he made a good point there, which he didn't.

Good point. I guess I'd just say that if some lurker is reading this thread and thinks that was a good point before it was refuted, they probably will always think it was a good point regardless of what anyone says to refute it.

 

[Leoreth]

Not if it's the first time they heard this refutation.

 

[warpus]

Every time I try to find out about it, I'm told that I'm an idiot.

People who put you down when you try to learn about the world and how it works should probably be avoided.

I hope you don't mind me feeling bad for your circumstances.

 

[Smellincoffee]

I just realized that I should have voted for the extinction of humanity. I'm reasonably sure the total heat death of the universe will get us.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

That is discounting inter-dimensional travel!

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I just realized that I should have voted for the extinction of humanity. I'm reasonably sure the total heat death of the universe will get us.

Right now the scientific evidence is leaning towards more of a big freeze death. Or a cosmic rip, take your pic.