Hi Carico,
This is a long post, so I apologize.
I have put a lot of thought into it... because I genuinely care for your well-being. I would not want or expect you to simply accept what I say as truth, of course, but I do hope that you will at least consider it, and perhaps remember some of it.
Good luck!
Have you read anything non-creationist about evolution since then?
Please pardon the question... it's just that I suspect that you have been seriously misled about what evolution is. It's as if someone learned all they need to know about Christianity by talking to anti-christians.
Take your recent list of questions regarding transitional species... it implies that you understand the theory of evolution to dictate that a species is a distinct, well-defined thing, with sudden jumps from one species to another. But in fact, evolution says that a "species" is actually a fairly artificial classification, which is not at all well-defined in nature.
The idea of a 'transitional species' is even more artificial. It doesn't even mean anything on its own, unless you first define which groups the transition is between. Once you've done that, there is still no unambiguous way to slice up the family tree between those two groups, because the theory of evolution says that there are no clear dividing lines over time between species in the same line of descent. The lines are very fuzzy.
For example, you are descended from your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. You have some genes from each parent, who have some from each of their parents, and so on. Now, you might look a lot like your parents, you might look a bit like your grandparents, and you might have some resemblance to your great-grandparents... but you aren't likely to have any more resemblance to your great-great-great-great-grandparents than anyone else of your ethnic background. But, there is nowhere that defines a boundary of family similarity... you, your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on could all look a lot like your respective parents, even though there is no family resemblance between you and a distant ancestor. Species in evolution are similar - there is no clear boundary between species.
Speaking of parents and grandparents, it is important to realize that it is highly likely that some of your genes are not the same as either of your parents, but are mutations. The same goes for everyone. So, while you are the same species as your great(x100) grandparents, you certainly have some number of genes that you did not inherit from them. This doesn't mean you aren't the same species, of course... but it does indicate that a 'species' is not a well-defined thing.
Now, if you consider your great(x10 000) grandparents (based on average 20-year generations), then we have some significant gene differences accumulated and we're getting into borderline territory. Whether you and they are the same species is really a matter of opinion, and different biologists do have different opinions.
Considering your great(x50 000) parents, we might still be in borderline territory, but most biologists would consider you to be different species in the same genus. Note that there would be nothing inherently "transitional" about them... they are only 'transitional' in the sense that your parents are 'transitional' between you and your grandparents.
Going back much further to your great(x300 000) grandparents, then we're in borderline genus territory. Some biologists would categorize you as the same genus, some in a different genus in the same sub-family... the point being that evolution does not suggest unambiguous divisions. Again, there would be nothing inherently transitional about your and my great (x300 000) grandparents, but their descendants include not only all humans, but chimpanzees and bonobos as well.
Note well that evolution suggests that there are no distinct borderlines in this family tree. Every one of the 300,000 children between our great(x300000) grandparents and you, and every one of the 300,000 children between them and Sule probably looked as much like their parents as you do. They all had much the same similarly of language/oral communication with their parents as you do with your parents.
Thanks for reading this far, Carico.
I really hope that you can find it in your heart to honestly seek the truth, whatever that might be. If someone is to learn the truth about what Christianity is, then I'm sure you'll agree that they need to converse with Christians and read christian texts with an open heart and mind. Similarly, if someone is to learn the truth about what evolution is, they need to converse with biologists and read biology texts with an open heart and mind. If you only hear about something from someone who despises it you will be misled.
Once again, I sincerely wish you good luck!
Pete
This is a long post, so I apologize.
I have put a lot of thought into it... because I genuinely care for your well-being. I would not want or expect you to simply accept what I say as truth, of course, but I do hope that you will at least consider it, and perhaps remember some of it.
Good luck!
That's interesting... I don't think evolution was even mentioned in my schooling. Did you take a course in biology? But really, biology (or any other topic) at school doesn't count for much, anyway. There is too much variation in teaching standards, not enough time to cover more than surface 'facts', and not enough attention devoted to learning underlying concepts and how to critically examine ideas and arguments.Actually I studied evolution in school since I, like all children, have been brainwashed since elementary school to believe evolution. It's written in all science books.
Have you read anything non-creationist about evolution since then?
Please pardon the question... it's just that I suspect that you have been seriously misled about what evolution is. It's as if someone learned all they need to know about Christianity by talking to anti-christians.
Take your recent list of questions regarding transitional species... it implies that you understand the theory of evolution to dictate that a species is a distinct, well-defined thing, with sudden jumps from one species to another. But in fact, evolution says that a "species" is actually a fairly artificial classification, which is not at all well-defined in nature.
The idea of a 'transitional species' is even more artificial. It doesn't even mean anything on its own, unless you first define which groups the transition is between. Once you've done that, there is still no unambiguous way to slice up the family tree between those two groups, because the theory of evolution says that there are no clear dividing lines over time between species in the same line of descent. The lines are very fuzzy.
For example, you are descended from your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. You have some genes from each parent, who have some from each of their parents, and so on. Now, you might look a lot like your parents, you might look a bit like your grandparents, and you might have some resemblance to your great-grandparents... but you aren't likely to have any more resemblance to your great-great-great-great-grandparents than anyone else of your ethnic background. But, there is nowhere that defines a boundary of family similarity... you, your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on could all look a lot like your respective parents, even though there is no family resemblance between you and a distant ancestor. Species in evolution are similar - there is no clear boundary between species.
Speaking of parents and grandparents, it is important to realize that it is highly likely that some of your genes are not the same as either of your parents, but are mutations. The same goes for everyone. So, while you are the same species as your great(x100) grandparents, you certainly have some number of genes that you did not inherit from them. This doesn't mean you aren't the same species, of course... but it does indicate that a 'species' is not a well-defined thing.
Now, if you consider your great(x10 000) grandparents (based on average 20-year generations), then we have some significant gene differences accumulated and we're getting into borderline territory. Whether you and they are the same species is really a matter of opinion, and different biologists do have different opinions.
Considering your great(x50 000) parents, we might still be in borderline territory, but most biologists would consider you to be different species in the same genus. Note that there would be nothing inherently "transitional" about them... they are only 'transitional' in the sense that your parents are 'transitional' between you and your grandparents.
Going back much further to your great(x300 000) grandparents, then we're in borderline genus territory. Some biologists would categorize you as the same genus, some in a different genus in the same sub-family... the point being that evolution does not suggest unambiguous divisions. Again, there would be nothing inherently transitional about your and my great (x300 000) grandparents, but their descendants include not only all humans, but chimpanzees and bonobos as well.
Note well that evolution suggests that there are no distinct borderlines in this family tree. Every one of the 300,000 children between our great(x300000) grandparents and you, and every one of the 300,000 children between them and Sule probably looked as much like their parents as you do. They all had much the same similarly of language/oral communication with their parents as you do with your parents.
Thanks for reading this far, Carico.
I really hope that you can find it in your heart to honestly seek the truth, whatever that might be. If someone is to learn the truth about what Christianity is, then I'm sure you'll agree that they need to converse with Christians and read christian texts with an open heart and mind. Similarly, if someone is to learn the truth about what evolution is, they need to converse with biologists and read biology texts with an open heart and mind. If you only hear about something from someone who despises it you will be misled.
Once again, I sincerely wish you good luck!
Pete
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