Cogito

<a href="http://www.users.bigpond.com/rdoolan/apeman.html" target="_blank">http://www.users.bigpond.com/rdoolan/apeman.html</a>

I'm doing research on the evolution vs. creationism debate for anthropology class. I understand most of the biological mechanisms that drive the process of evolution, but I know almost nothing about geology/paleoarcheology, so I'm useless when someone attacks the fossil records. A creationist pointed me to this site.

How could I debunk it?

[ March 08, 2002: Message edited by: Cogito ]</p>

notto

None of the examples (except maybe Lucy) given are used in current evolutionary theory.

Once a fossil is proven to be fake or not what it first appear, scientists stop using it.


See here for real hominids
<a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/specimen.html#platyops" target="_blank">http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/specimen.html#platyops</a>

Be sure to check out this list as well. It shows examples of past misunderstandings and frauds of creationists. Some of these are still clung to.

<a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/a_anomaly.html" target="_blank">http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/a_anomaly.html</a>

Valentine Pontifex

Java Man was not taken out by later finds. It is still used. Perhaps you have heard of Homo erectus? :-) (The type fossil of erectus is a specimen of Java Man.)

The Neandertal are still used as well. They are quite distinct from modern humans, though very obviously closely related.

luvluv

Is the term "cretinist" a term of affection or just an insult?

Peregrine

We are just following Federal guidelines for truth in labeling.

notto

Thanks for the clarification. I indeed mispoke (or responded too quickly). Would it be safe to say that current evolutionary theory about homominid evolution does not hang its hat on any of these examples?

BLoggins02

How much patience would you have with someone who walked into an upper-level geology class and insisted that we were all morons for not accepting the self-evident biblical truth that the Earth is flat?

How much patience would you have with someone who walked into an upper-level physics class and insisted that we were all morons for not accepting the ultimate truth of Newtonian Mechanics, while at the sime time worshipping the false god of Einsteinian Relativity?

How much patience would you have with someone who walked into an integral calculus class and insisted that all this stuff about "definite integrals" is nonsense because, as everyone knows, an infinite sum of infinitely small quantities must be infinite?

Now, how much patience do you think we have for people who believe in one of the thousands of tribal, 4000 year old creation myths in existance, even after ALL evidence points to another explanation and we haven't seen any new non-refuted "evidence" of your specific brand of tribal deistic creationism in years.

If you want to ask a question about why we know evolution to be a valid explanation for the diversity of life, fine. If you want to debate a new argument you have come up with, or recently discovered evidence which may suggest creationism or intelligent design, fine.

If, however, you come here copying and pasting from Trueorigins, AiG, or the ICR and expect us to be blown away by these "arguments" and "evidence" (even though we and the rest of the biological community have seen and refuted this crap countless times), then I don't have any reservations about calling you a "cretinist".

It's like people who pay money to see John Edwards, not for entertainment, but because they literally think he can talk to the dead. People seem to have forgotten that his exact same parlor tricks have been exposed before (mainly w/ James Van Praagh), and still they fall for the same crap.

Why, in 2002 CE, do people still believe in psychics, witches, demons, unlucky numbers, black cats, magic, mana, gods, saviors, heaven, hell, and 4000 year old tribal superstitious, sexist creation myths? The dichotomy between scientific and technological progression and these backwater belief systems holding back mankind is terrifying.

[/end rant]

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: BLoggins02 ]</p>