I agree that the evidence of paleontology are facts explained by the theory and natural selection is the main explanation driving change in populations. Epigenetics is change in the packaging of DNA that is heritable, but I do not know what plasticity of brain means or what you mean by 'will' in relation to the theory.
Horizontal gene transfer is a mechanism of genetic diversity that can be acted on by selection mechanisms. It may impact the mode of evolution, but has a bigger role in clouding our understanding of common descent near the base of life.
Death, suffering, competing against each other etc. etc. are natural. The three needs theory of McClelland:
the needs for achievement, affiliation, or power, summarises it beautifully, imo. But trying to fulfil these needs brings us to pain and suffering.
And here comes in the pre-natural knowledge (if you can call it that). Buddha teaches the antidote to suffering. Christ taught to love neighbour as oneself — this is so non intuitive. Hindus say that death is of names-forms only and that the universe appears and disappears cyclically in Mind at large.
Forget the Hindu views.
Let us just look into Buddha and Christ. They are teaching something that is not obvious in nature. And millions have improved their physical and mental states by adhering to their teachings. So, saying that all processes are that which are visible through mind-senses ONLY is an erroneous philosophical stand. It cannot be the final stand of science, which employs naturalism as a method and not as an ontological truth.
Even empirically we see that the universe is FUNDAMENTALLY constituted of experiences and efforts to refine and enhance those experiences. Art, culture, science, economics, tasting, touching, love making, music — all are testimony to that.
Many scientists and philosophers have suggested that monism can bridge religion and science.
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