The Law of Evolution (verse, science, disease)

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

We call it the Theory of Evolution. We teach it to our kids in school. We use it to determine where we came from.

Oh, I hope not! It should only properly be used to determine who are distant ancestors were.

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

We seem so certain it's true. So my question is:

When will it be formalized as the Law of Evolution?

Probably at the point at which it provides predictions that invariably prove be.

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

The Laws of Physics were all theories before we formalized them into laws. So if we are so sure of the theory of Evolution why don't our scientists formalize it as a law?

The "Laws or Physics" never ceased being theories. If you think they did, you need to learn more about science.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Green Kepi

Evolution. Doesn't fit the "mold" many have put it in when the English Version "In the beginning..." compared to the Hebrew wordage "In a beginning...". Think about it (?). There's a possible tremendous difference here!

Yeah: seeing a big difference there (not).

Originally Posted by Green Kepi

The beginning of this present earth's time or a beginning in a another or series of beginnings. Evolution of what?

Depends on what "a" is, I suppose.

[Somkid]

While I believe the theory of evolution 99% (I leave 1% for human error) it is no different than the theory of relativity (E=Mc2) because it is very difficult to prove with our current technology it stays a theory until there is more solid evidence. Creation on the other hand, well I don't really want to say anything, there is more truth to Saturday morning cartoons.

[fantôme profane]

Originally Posted by Somkid

While I believe the theory of evolution 99% (I leave 1% for human error) it is no different than the theory of relativity (E=Mc2) because it is very difficult to prove with our current technology it stays a theory until there is more solid evidence. Creation on the other hand, well I don't really want to say anything, there is more truth to Saturday morning cartoons.

No, in science the difference between “law” and “theory” has nothing to do with the level of certainty. It remains a theory because that it what it is. A scientific theory explains a related group of observations, a law describes a simple observation, usually with a mathematical relation.

Please go back and read Autodidact’s post #5 from this thread.

[Seyorni]

When a theory has enough empirical support that it would be obtuse not to consider it almost certainly true, it graduates to fact -- though it doesn't cease being a theory as well.

The germ theory of disease, the heliocentric theory of the solar system, the theory of biological evolution, the theory of plate techtonics -- all theories, and all facts.
None of them laws.

[logician]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

When a theory has enough empirical support that it would be obtuse not to consider it almost certainly true, it graduates to fact -- though it doesn't cease being a theory as well.

The germ theory of disease, the heliocentric theory of the solar system, the theory of biological evolution, the theory of plate techtonics -- all theories, and all facts.
None of them laws.

And this is why string theory remains a theory and not a fact, because it is not yet testable in the real world. When theories become testable, and are verified by the tests, they they become factual. Of course, any theory can be shot down if some verifible test negates the theory. Newton's theory of gravitation has been shot down, by Einstein's theory of relatiivy, although it is still quite a good approximation for most applications.

[Inky]

Originally Posted by logician

When theories become testable, and are verified by the tests, they they become factual.

Um, no. A hypothesis that's been verified by tests becomes a theory. A theory that's been verified by even more tests becomes a better theory.

[crystalonyx]

Originally Posted by Inky

Um, no. A hypothesis that's been verified by tests becomes a theory. A theory that's been verified by even more tests becomes a better theory.

See Seyorni's post.