Belief in evolution

[nari]

Interesting viewpoint or worldview - in some circles atheists do not 'believe' in science and/or evolution; there is enough hard evidence to support this evidence.

Saying you believe your wife drives a red car suggests you aren't 99.5% sure that she does or that the PM is a bloke called Kevin. That may raise eyebrows!?

nari

[atheist_angel]

Originally Posted by nari

Interesting viewpoint or worldview - in some circles atheists do not 'believe' in science and/or evolution; there is enough hard evidence to support this evidence.

Saying you believe your wife drives a red car suggests you aren't 99.5% sure that she does or that the PM is a bloke called Kevin. That may raise eyebrows!?

nari

Interesting 'word game' those "circles" must have going!

[Dan Gleibitz]

Originally Posted by nari

Saying you believe your wife drives a red car suggests you aren't 99.5% sure that she does or that the PM is a bloke called Kevin. That may raise eyebrows!?

No the words don't tell you anything about certainty. You have inferred something (uncertainty) that is not contained in my words, given their accepted dictionary definition (or one of).

I understand why some people see a debatable point here, but the debate does not exist if the word is first defined. For example:

Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.

In this case no measure of uncertainty is implied by use of the word 'belief'. As far as I'm concerned the debate belongs in the same bin as 'evolution is just a theory.... like intelligent design theory'.

One theory is supported by evidence, the other theory is supported by bullshit. It doesn't mean all theories are equally valid or equally invalid.

Likewise, one belief can be supported by evidence, and the other belief supported by bullshit. It doesn't mean that all beliefs are equally valid or equally invalid.

We shouldn't fear correct use of a word in case somebody wrongly infers a meaning that doesn't exist.

[Caio]

The poll asked are theists wrong when they say the atheists believe in evolution. In this sense I say yeas, as what they generally are trying to get at is that our belief in evolution (or science in general) is the same as their belief in god or religion. In this sense they are mistaken, but only because they are taking the term belief and using it in an inappropriate manner. There is little alternative to saying belief other than to say you know it to be true as opposed to believe it to be true.
I believe in evolution because of copious amounts of evidence, while religion equates belief with faith, which is not founded on evidence, this is where the difference lies.

[atheist_angel]

I feel like spiritual religious belief is based on feelings ... not 'thoughts' ... of course that would be only when it is 'not' based on propaganda, brainwashing and indoctrination.

[Ford]

Originally Posted by Dan Gleibitz

As far as I'm concerned the debate belongs in the same bin as 'evolution is just a theory.... like intelligent design theory'.

One theory is supported by evidence, the other theory is supported by bullshit. It doesn't mean all theories are equally valid or equally invalid.

I alway understood a 'theory' to be a model that is supported by evidence and furthermore, only remains so until further evidence refutes or modifies it. The correct term for an idea not yet proven is 'hypothesis'.

And, the fact that an hypothesis has been sitting around for several millennia waiting for proof should not be the test that converts it from hypothesis to theory!

[nari]

I alway understood a 'theory' to be a model that is supported by evidence and furthermore, only remains so until further evidence refutes or modifies it. The correct term for an idea not yet proven is 'hypothesis'.

That's the accepted definition for sure. A theory is put out for as long as it takes for someone to disprove its validity.

Belief in a god could be called a hypothesis because it is still lacking any evidence; theists tend to refer to evolution as 'just a theory' and therefore like to offer their own agendas as evidence.

nari

[Ford]

I have always wondered at the statement: “Jesus died for your sins.”
The whole idea of sacrifice has occupied my mind for some time. I now wonder why sacrifice became a religious act and what it purports to achieve.

This is not a rhetorical question. I do have some ideas, but as sacrifice seems to be central to the three major Eastern traditions maybe it should be examined by people outside those faiths (atheists) and its premises challenged by minds more learned than my own.

To me, from my current perspective, it makes no sense to kill something in an attempt to please the creator of that thing. I would have thought the creator would be thoroughly pissed off for a start.

[dimel]

Does it matter?

[Dane]

I say "maybe".

They're correct in the sense that I believe evolution is true. Much in the same way I believe gravity or electromagnetism is true. It's belief based on evidence and critical reasoning. However, they're false in saying "belief", because what they really mean is belief upheld by blind faith devoid of critical reasoning.

So even though "no" would be a fair assessment given how loaded such statements usually are, I'd go with maybe.