Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Dr.GH · 02-13-2002, 09:53 AM

For a modern organism that provides an idea about how multicellular life might have started, try reading about slime molds. Physarum polycephalum is a good example. Also take a look at the cellular organization of The Porifera.

tronvillain · 02-13-2002, 10:10 AM

An entertaining book on the subject is Mark Ridley's Mendel's Demon: Gene Justice and the Complexity of Life.

Harumi · 02-13-2002, 11:11 AM

Thank you so much for all your input. I'll visit the sites you suggested and direct them to my friends, although I can't get the books at the moment. Books come very rarely into my house, so I spend more time trying to find as many fantasy/sci fi books I can get my hands on rather than philosophy. I'll give the titles to my friend if they're willing to look at more.

My first friend is an intelligent human being, and he admitted that his doubts come partially because he doesn't know all that much about the theory, so he wouldn't mind learning more.

Now the latter (the one who mentioned the probability)... I don't know how I'm going to convince him. He's a fundie, and as of a few days ago, I've stopped talking to him. He upset me enough with his "God's perfect therefore if he sends you to hell (and everyone else prior) then I trust that he had a good reason to" speech. I tried countering his probability reason with the fact that it's more likely for an asteroid like the dinosaurs to hit us again than for any person to win the lottery. He rejected it out of hand.

Why is it that intelligent people nearly always turn stupid once they become Christian or even worse, fundalmentalist?

Harumi

Oolon Colluphid · 02-13-2002, 11:51 AM

Maybe you wanna ask your fundie friend why this 'perfect' creator wired the mammalian retina in backwards, gave us muscles to wiggle our ears, and made humans so prone to choking to death by having the food tube come from off the air tube... (or any of dozens more like that...)

See also <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=58&t=000239" target="_blank">this thread</a>.

Cheers, Oolon

[ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: Oolon Colluphid ]</p>

Late_Cretaceous · 02-13-2002, 12:04 PM

There are probably hundreds of billions of suitable planets in the universe, and billions of years for "probability" to become inevitable.

That whole arguement is like asking "well what are the chances that I exist, given millions of sperm to ferilize on egg, let alone the probablity of my parents even meeting. Gee, the probablity of me existing is astronomical"

Late_Cretaceous · 02-13-2002, 12:07 PM

Here is some very good evidence showing the tiny difference between a type of scale called a scute (found on reptiles and birds feet) and a feather. Surprisingly, the feather may be the primitive condition.

Late_Cretaceous · 02-13-2002, 12:10 PM

SOrry, forgot to put the link in

<a href="http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm" target="_blank">http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm</a>

<img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

KeithHarwood · 02-13-2002, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kosh:
<strong>

Everytime the shuttle goes up,
I am amazed at the complexity and level of
effort that must be needed to make it work. Even
as a software engineer, I find it difficult
to believe that the thing works.
</strong>

It's actually quite simple. The rule is that when the paperwork weighs more than the stack it's ready to launch. (The stack is the shuttle, the external tank, the solid fuel bosters and all the propellant.)

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

02-13-2002, 09:53 AM	#11
Dr.GH Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Dana Point, Ca, USA Posts: 2,115	For a modern organism that provides an idea about how multicellular life might have started, try reading about slime molds. Physarum polycephalum is a good example. Also take a look at the cellular organization of The Porifera.

02-13-2002, 10:10 AM	#12
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	An entertaining book on the subject is Mark Ridley's Mendel's Demon: Gene Justice and the Complexity of Life.

02-13-2002, 11:11 AM	#13
Harumi Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 3,184	Thank you so much for all your input. I'll visit the sites you suggested and direct them to my friends, although I can't get the books at the moment. Books come very rarely into my house, so I spend more time trying to find as many fantasy/sci fi books I can get my hands on rather than philosophy. I'll give the titles to my friend if they're willing to look at more. My first friend is an intelligent human being, and he admitted that his doubts come partially because he doesn't know all that much about the theory, so he wouldn't mind learning more. Now the latter (the one who mentioned the probability)... I don't know how I'm going to convince him. He's a fundie, and as of a few days ago, I've stopped talking to him. He upset me enough with his "God's perfect therefore if he sends you to hell (and everyone else prior) then I trust that he had a good reason to" speech. I tried countering his probability reason with the fact that it's more likely for an asteroid like the dinosaurs to hit us again than for any person to win the lottery. He rejected it out of hand. Why is it that intelligent people nearly always turn stupid once they become Christian or even worse, fundalmentalist? Harumi

02-13-2002, 11:51 AM	#14
Oolon Colluphid Contributor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Alibi: ego ipse hinc extermino Posts: 12,591	Maybe you wanna ask your fundie friend why this 'perfect' creator wired the mammalian retina in backwards, gave us muscles to wiggle our ears, and made humans so prone to choking to death by having the food tube come from off the air tube... (or any of dozens more like that...) See also <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=58&t=000239" target="_blank">this thread</a>. Cheers, Oolon [ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: Oolon Colluphid ]</p>

02-13-2002, 12:04 PM	#15
Late_Cretaceous Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,049	There are probably hundreds of billions of suitable planets in the universe, and billions of years for "probability" to become inevitable. That whole arguement is like asking "well what are the chances that I exist, given millions of sperm to ferilize on egg, let alone the probablity of my parents even meeting. Gee, the probablity of me existing is astronomical"

02-13-2002, 12:07 PM	#16
Late_Cretaceous Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,049	Here is some very good evidence showing the tiny difference between a type of scale called a scute (found on reptiles and birds feet) and a feather. Surprisingly, the feather may be the primitive condition.

02-13-2002, 12:10 PM	#17
Late_Cretaceous Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,049	SOrry, forgot to put the link in <a href="http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm" target="_blank">http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm</a> <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.