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Sound Bite Responses to Sound Bites on Evolution

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When someone asks you “Do you believe in evolution?” they probably won’t take the time to listen to your 15 minute exposition on the different meanings of “evolution” and why you reject one or more of them, and they probably won’t read “Darwin’s Black Box” if you gave them a copy, so what do you say? Here’s my short answer: “I believe in the evolution of life and in the evolution of automobiles, but I don’t believe either could have come about without design.”

When someone tells you “The theory of evolution is well-established science, only ignorant people still doubt it,” again, they probably won’t give you 30 minutes to respond, and won’t have time to read anything you refer them to, so what do you say? Here’s my suggestion: point to your cell phone and say “So you believe that the four fundamental, unintelligent forces of physics alone could have rearranged the fundamental particles of physics into this cell phone, and you have no idea why any educated person would doubt this?”

In the unlikely event that they are interested in a longer response, may I humbly suggest you refer them to this 22 minute video, which expands on both short answers:

Why Evolution is Different

Comments
Hello Granville Sewell, I usually tell people that the discoveries of modern science have rendered irrational the belief that life arose and developed on planet Earth mindlessly and accidentally, and have rendered equally irrational the belief that the Universe always existed, and the belief that its being configured such that life would be a possibility was a mindless accident. Then they can ask me about those discoveries or walk away.harry
April 22, 2018
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Scuzza, interesting analogy. You got me thinking.Belfast
April 22, 2018
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The other point I make to people who like to ask leading questions about belief is that belief is something that happens inside your head. It helps - when driving your car, say - if your beliefs about reality are somewhat congruent with reality itself, but the content of your beliefs doesn't actually alter reality. It is what it is, and telling me your beliefs about what it is isn't the same as telling me what it is. Few people have ever considered this point and even fewer seem to be able to handle it intelligently.ScuzzaMan
April 21, 2018
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"Do you believe in me?" AKA. just who are you talking to? Is there even a you, let alone a me? Turn the illusionist's silliness back on them.ScuzzaMan
April 21, 2018
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I think that the problem here is more profound than just ignorance, willful or otherwise. "So you believe that the four fundamental, unintelligent forces of physics alone could have rearranged the fundamental particles of physics into this cell phone" Yes, they DO believe that is the case! That is the problem. What's more, they believe that mind itself is a product of the four physical interactions. I think it is a fallacy to assume that when you lay out your arguments (in 30 minutes or less), they will immediately understand their errors and become converted. No! The issue here is faith, on both sides. One can't do anything about that other than just lay out the argument.EugeneS
April 21, 2018
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