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sErgEantaEgis
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18 Aug 2011, 8:31 pm

I'm skeptical of this, but being scientifically-minded I am welcome to hear your hypothesis (and not theory, as you say). I encourage you to share it with other scientists who have more knowledge in biology than me. But if you want to gain any credibility you must base your hypothesis on objective observations of nature and not theology. Beside, science doesn't care about comforming to theology or religion as it is based on observation of nature and is subject to change if new evidence is found. However you should really try to write a scientific article on this and share it with other scientists.



oceandrop
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19 Aug 2011, 7:33 am

Thanks for the suggestions.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the skepticism. For too long, the domains of science and religion have been regarded as entirely separate, each dealing with its own questions without any overlap. This idea is long overdue to be demolished in my opinion. Knowledge is just one point which the ignorant have multiplied.

How can it possibly seem far fetched that God's Will played a role in the evolution of life, and later human life, from dust that coalesced around a sun? Dust that 13 billion years ago was scrunched up into a singularity perhaps no larger than a marble.



Tom_Kakes
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19 Aug 2011, 7:40 am

Sigh...

*top-toes quietly out of the room*



oceandrop
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19 Aug 2011, 7:45 am

Sorry to disappoint Tom, I can't be too specific in terms of evidence. If you want we can stay around and discuss the interrelation of science and religion in general.



Tom_Kakes
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19 Aug 2011, 8:42 am

oceandrop wrote:
Sorry to disappoint Tom, I can't be too specific in terms of evidence. If you want we can stay around and discuss the interrelation of science and religion in general.


Thanks but no.



naturalplastic
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19 Aug 2011, 10:22 am

Go for it.

I had assumed that you were a layperson.

So I was going to say just publish the chapters of this future book as installments in a blog ( maybe here on WP, or elsewhere on the web). That way its "published" so you get the credit ( or the blame) for your idea.
Then try to get it published in hard back.

You can still do that, But since you are yourself a member of the scientific community you can also communicate with fellow scientists and work towards going through he peer review route as well.



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19 Aug 2011, 10:55 am

oceandrop wrote:
How can it possibly seem far fetched that God's Will played a role in the evolution of life, and later human life, from dust that coalesced around a sun? Dust that 13 billion years ago was scrunched up into a singularity perhaps no larger than a marble.

Theistic evolution is not a novel idea.


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19 Aug 2011, 11:08 am

oceandrop wrote:
... How can it possibly seem far fetched that God's Will played a role in the evolution of life, and later human life, from dust that coalesced around a sun? Dust that 13 billion years ago was scrunched up into a singularity perhaps no larger than a marble.

How can it be necessary for God to exist in the first place?


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DC
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19 Aug 2011, 11:29 am

Ever since the enlightenment science has been based on 'naturalism' if you are going to over turn this and inject supernatural entities into the mix you will need a stunning amount of new evidence (not just a novel interpretation of existing work).

It might be worth bearing in mind that you worked hard to get your PhD and the only place you are going to get a job using it is the Discovery Institute after you try and publish.



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19 Aug 2011, 11:56 am

oceandrop wrote:
Two of my special interests for many years now have been evolution and theology. A couple of years ago I was thinking deeply about the two of them and had a 'spark' that helped me see how the two are related, and since then I have been reading intensely and compiling lists of examples from all kinds of evolutionary books to support the new 'Theory'. It has reached the point where I am completely persuaded that my Theory surpasses Darwinian 'survival of the fittest' for predictive and explanatory value. I also produced a new style of algebra/logic notation that can be applied to all kinds of biological processes that confirm the theory is true and the predictions always hold. Without giving away too much, it doesn't contradict Darwinism, but rather adds to it and re-arranges the Theory on a new foundation. It makes Intelligent Design and creationism look extremely weak and stagnant, while also making old 'Darwinian' evolution look incomplete in many important ways.

I think the only way to get this idea out there is to write a book, but I am a horrible procrastinator and have executive dysfunction issues. I'm also super paranoid about people stealing my ideas. Any thoughts / words of encouragement/discouragement?


Until you publish in a vetted scientific journal, you are blowing hot air.

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19 Aug 2011, 2:05 pm

I doubt that you will be successful in your efforts to integrate the theory of evolution and theology.

I honestly don't think you should try.

I don't think there are any gods or anything supernatural. I don't think that theology has anything to offer us.

The theory of evolution is a rich and beautiful scientific theory that is remarkably well supported by the evidence and is the foundation of modern biology.

There is absolutely no need to hypothesize a god or creator or to suggest that that evolution is in any way 'directed', for there are no gaps in science that these things could fill.

The ideas of theology are superfluous and irrelevant to science, and therefore to trying to understand reality.


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Tom_Kakes
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19 Aug 2011, 2:39 pm

IMHO, this thread is fully intended flamebait.



sErgEantaEgis
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19 Aug 2011, 2:43 pm

oceandrop wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the skepticism. For too long, the domains of science and religion have been regarded as entirely separate, each dealing with its own questions without any overlap. This idea is long overdue to be demolished in my opinion. Knowledge is just one point which the ignorant have multiplied.

How can it possibly seem far fetched that God's Will played a role in the evolution of life, and later human life, from dust that coalesced around a sun? Dust that 13 billion years ago was scrunched up into a singularity perhaps no larger than a marble.


It's far-fetched because no evidence point to a God (or any inteligent entity) influencing the universe or life from the outside. It's not far-fetched because science is based on observation and found explanations for things that seemed far-fetched a while back ago and were attributed to God. I am faithful science will find a rational explanation to many mysteries we find today.



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19 Aug 2011, 2:46 pm

Tom_Kakes wrote:
IMHO, this thread is fully intended flamebait.

Pretty much, but at least the attention generated by the OP costs less than a good therapist.


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Tom_Kakes
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19 Aug 2011, 2:59 pm

Fnord wrote:
Tom_Kakes wrote:
IMHO, this thread is fully intended flamebait.

Pretty much, but at least the attention generated by the OP costs less than a good therapist.


;)

Therapist?

Only divine intervention would save the OP.



oceandrop
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19 Aug 2011, 6:05 pm

Well I'm completely legit. I have 196 e-mails to myself over the last couple of years each one with a new idea / example supporting the basic premise of this Theory. It is a special interest that has occupied my thoughts for a long time.

I accept naturalism to some extent, and certainly I am not invoking anything supernatural. I am however suggesting that there are a set of Laws (much like those in physics) that predict the emergence of life and evolution in our universe, and that these same Laws also predict intra- and inter-species interactions. The Laws don't invoke any kind of supernatural influence to explain natural phenomena, but strongly point to the idea of a Creator. Ultimately it depicts evolution as a religious truth.

I guess I will just have to start writing it to persuade the naysayers.