Is the Theory of Evolution the Best Available Explanation For the Diversity of Life?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by tomspug

The theory of evolution has a lot to account for. Science has yet to find any real connection between invertebrates and vertebrates.

From TalkOrigins.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by tomspug

Science has yet to find any real connection between invertebrates and vertebrates.

That's a curious statement. Must they? (find a connection, that is)

[Phasmid]

I just find it odd when scientists say things like, "We're more closely related to mushrooms than anything else on the planet". Now to me, finding something crazy out like that would make me think, "Hmm... maybe I made a mistake..."

*Note: The above example was just to illustrate a point...

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Phasmid

I just find it odd when scientists say things like, "We're more closely related to mushrooms than anything else on the planet". Now to me, finding something crazy out like that would make me think, "Hmm... maybe I made a mistake..."

Most mushrooms wouldn't write something so silly.

[Leoben Conoy]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is the Theory of Evolution the best available explanation for the diversity of life forms?

Yes, it is. There are offshoots of the theory of evolution, such as Lamarckian (which a poster referenced), which isn't entirely implausible since we can introduce genetic traits into a living organism. Radiation can also cause genetic mutations during an organism's life which can be passed on and thus have nothing to do with inheritance.

That being said, evolution in context and relation to biology and life on Earth is the only theory which has a scientific methodology, physical evidence, observable effects and consequences, and distances itself from theology.

Originally Posted by tom

The theory of evolution has a lot to account for. Science has yet to find any real connection between invertebrates and vertebrates.

Natural selection on its own, actually, I think best explains the diversity of this planet. The theory of evolution, in my opinion, is merely an attempt of the human race to egotistically be able to re-create life. We WANT there to be a complete connection between everything, because that is the easy explanation.

The idea that the diversity of the planet is intentional, in my opinion, most satisfactorily explains its apparent harmony in the midst of such incredible diversity.

Scientists don't claim to be pastors and thus don't know everything. Therefore, it's no big surprise we, after only six thousand years of recorded history, and only so many centuries since the mass application of a scientific method, do not know everything.

Vertebrate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia What about the evolution from invertebrates (I hate spelling that word) to vertebrates (that one too) puzzles you? They came into being, as far as we know, 500 million years ago. Are you saying you are puzzled because our scientists don't have a reason why it happened? Isn't that like saying you WANT to know the reason for the evolution? Science is about observation and hypothesis (first), science isn't religion and thus cannot explain why life on Earth didn't remain in the ocean forever and instead many species evolved to live on land.

I don't see a world where entire species go extinct every day, and where millions of people are murdered every year in wars and acts of crime, and where many more millions of animals kill each other, or are killed by us, as particularly "harmonious".

Harmony just doesn't go with chaos.

[logician]

Originally Posted by Willamena

That's a curious statement. Must they? (find a connection, that is)

Somewhere along the line there certainly was, probably a bigger jump was from one-cell to multicellular life.

[painted wolf]

no link between inverts and verts?
Never heard of Tunicates, Lancelets or Acorn Worms I take it?

Or fossils such as Haikouichthys, Myllokunmingia, or any of the other early chordates.

wa:do

[rojse]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is the Theory of Evolution the best available explanation for the diversity of life forms?

Yes.