I believe that what jgweed was talking about was that to argue that the bible is the word of god because the bible says it is the word of god is a circularity. The scientific method contains no such circularity.

Right Budapest, his argument is that logic is the authority and interpretor of logic. That's not circular at all.

To commit the deductive fallacy of circular argumentation is to make a conclusion that is the same as the premiss ( usually counterfeited by using different words). This informal fallacy can also be called "begging the question" or petitio principii. Discussions and examples of this fallacy under these names can easily be found by using Google.

I do not understand how the scientific process committs this fallacy, since the process continually revises its conclusions based on new evidence and data and uses inductive---as opposed to deductive--- methodologies. Whether the initial hypothesis is warranted is thus not dependent on a restatement of the initial hypothesis, but on observation and careful methodology. This is what is meant by a "continuous self-testing process."

Regards,
John

shows that two species of early human ancestors lived at the same time in Kenya. That pokes holes in the chief theory of man's early evolution — that one of those species evolved from the other.

Oops, sorry kids...mark the part out where it says that Homo Habilis evolved into Homo Erectus...now find some space and write..."That makes it unlikely that Homo erectus evolved from Homo habilis." that's our concrete evidence as it stands today...alright kids? Oh, now make sure you leave some space in that section, in case this changes again.

It's the equivalent of finding that your grandmother and great-grandmother were sisters rather than mother-daughter Wow! Can anyone relate to that example?

The two species lived near each other, but probably didn't interact, We know for sure they didn't interact..............probably..........well, they may have.

"they'd just avoid each other, they don't feel comfortable in each other's company," We were able to tell this by the written documents of their thoughts that were buried with the fossils.

There remains some still-undiscovered common ancestor that probably lived 2 million to 3 million years ago We know its there...it just has to be! We have faith that its there, even though we haven't found it yet.

But now we know that both species lived during the same time period and that we did not come from Neanderthals. Oops, don't forget to mark that part out of your book as well...

For the past few years there has been growing doubt and debate about whether Homo habilis evolved into Homo erectus. Wait, I thought it was only creationists that disagreed with each other?

"this is only a skirmish in the protracted 'war' between the people who like a bushy interpretation and those who like a more ladder-like interpretation of early human evolution." ?

Hmm...hypothesis? There's that pesky word again. I don't think the "scientific community" agrees with your assessment of these findings being hypotheses. Dunno though...are you a scientist John? Or a transcendental idealist? Maybe you see no difference?


Have a nice afternoon. See you tomorrow.

It is not the findings that are hypotheses. But certainly part of the scientific method is the formulation and testing of hypotheses.

Yep.


I see.


You wanna drive a creationist nuts? Suggest that the basic framework was "created" and then nature, or evolution, was allowed to take its' course. After all "God" could have chosen to do whatever he wanted, however he wanted, in whatever time-frame he wanted, no? If not, then "God" wouldn't be "all-powerful" would he?

Be prepared for flying spittle.


This explains religion.But how did he answer himself?

MOD EDIT: Merged 4 posts made by same person within minutes of eachoter in order to keep topic looking presentable ~ stevealmighty

We teach evolution in our schools because our schools are not capable of teaching our children any thing of worth like English, Math, American History or anything else that might prepare them for life in the real world.

umm, i went to school and I learned all those things, so, whatever, you must not know what you're talking about. or maybe you're right, and i just came to a revelation of godly proportions and discovered everything for myself. And i wonder why you say that american history is so important? Its not like those history books even tell the complete truth. I mean, thomas jefferson had a lot of slaves, some of them probably sex slaves, so technically hes probably a rapist too. only white land owners could vote. theres really a lot of stuff that our forfathers did that was wrong and unforgivable, and we hail them as heroes. Why are my american brothers and sisters so ignorant to all this? As americans have we grown so ethnocentric and nationalistic that we are not able to condemn the actions of our ancestors, or is that much of the population truly ignorant?

if we did NOT evolve..how did we come to be as we are now? why do we have a coccyx ( our 'useless' tail)

it is extememely possible to 'hold' and respect Darwins theory of Evolution , bearing in mind that the Old Testament contains TWO accounts of the Creation
or do we think God has really got it all wrong

I've begun to wonder why anyone cares whether evolution is what happens or not. Its not like any of us will be around long enough to see if it does happen. Its just another issue that has divided the usa, and earth for that matter, that is completely sensless.