There have been anomolies found in the fossil record that don’t seem to make sense, but they are not deemed extreme enough by the scientific community to warrant any damage to evolution. The hypotheticals you have suggested are very extreme, do they have to be that extreme to warrant a hit on evolution or can less extreme finds also warrant questioning?
This seems to indicate a very confused thought process about how scientific theories work and are tested. A scientific theory that is wrong shouldn’t have data that almost but doesn’t quite fit. If evolution were wrong we would expect to see all sorts of bad data. Almost correct data with a few minor issues that we don’t yet understand is exactly what one would expect for a scientific theory. To use a different example, there are some definite anomalies about gravity and how it functions (the apparent presence of dark matter is one of the more obvious examples). Will you make similar comments about gravity? If evolution and gravity are treated differently in this context, it is worthwhile to ask why. If the sole reason is that evolution has theologically uncomfortable implications, then what does that mean?
I would absolutely include the standard model in physics as a problem as well. When the contemporary scientific explanation of the cosmos can only account for 3% of the universe (about 97% is dark energy or dark matter) then I would say there is a problem. Maybe even more of a problem than evolution.
We seem to be sticking to our current understanding of physics, once again, because of a world-view. That view being that our universe needs to be mathematically harmonious all the way through, at all levels. This is the bias that is also behind string theory and any attempt to unify physics.
Evolution is much the same way. The worldview that there is no purpose/meaning/agency/design (choose your word, but its the same concept) in the universe is pushing scientists to continually ignore or explain away anomally.
Lets say that the evidence seems to point towards design in the universe. Should we ignore that because we think a chance-world view would bring us more scientific achievement? If we do such a thing, would there be a good chance that what we call scientific achievement today would turn out to be delusion in the future because it is based on a forced world-view?
This seems to indicate a very confused thought process about how scientific theories work and are tested. A scientific theory that is wrong shouldn’t have data that almost but doesn’t quite fit. If evolution were wrong we would expect to see all sorts of bad data. Almost correct data with a few minor issues that we don’t yet understand is exactly what one would expect for a scientific theory. To use a different example, there are some definite anomalies about gravity and how it functions (the apparent presence of dark matter is one of the more obvious examples). Will you make similar comments about gravity? If evolution and gravity are treated differently in this context, it is worthwhile to ask why. If the sole reason is that evolution has theologically uncomfortable implications, then what does that mean?
I would absolutely include the standard model in physics as a problem as well. When the contemporary scientific explanation of the cosmos can only account for 3% of the universe (about 97% is dark energy or dark matter) then I would say there is a problem. Maybe even more of a problem than evolution.
We seem to be sticking to our current understanding of physics, once again, because of a world-view. That view being that our universe needs to be mathematically harmonious all the way through, at all levels. This is the bias that is also behind string theory and any attempt to unify physics.
Evolution is much the same way. The worldview that there is no purpose/meaning/agency/design (choose your word, but its the same concept) in the universe is pushing scientists to continually ignore or explain away anomally.
Can you explain how the view that there is purpose, meaning, agency or design in the universe helps us address any anomalies better? With examples?
Lets say that the evidence seems to point towards design in the universe. Should we ignore that because we think a chance-world view would bring us more scientific achievement? If we do such a thing, would there be a good chance that what we call scientific achievement today would turn out to be delusion in the future because it is based on a forced world-view?
No, let’s not just say that, let’s discuss the actual pieces of evidence, it’s much more likely to be productive.