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Is there a flaw in evolutions?
02GF74 - 1/5/10 at 04:33 PM

... been watching stuff about lions, gorillas, baboons and deer and these type of animals have the dominant male mate exclusively with a group of females.

Now to be the dominant male usually means it is the one that is biggest and strongest so you would expect his offspring to have some of the characteristics i.e. big and strong.

So when the dominant is deposed, it would be by another bigger and stronger male than him and so on.

Can you see where this is going?

Basically, they have been at it for millions of years so why aren't those animals the size of dinosaurs and bigger as the offrsping woulld tend to increase in size unless evolution is flawed.


Ivan - 1/5/10 at 04:52 PM

Because the female doesn't have to be biggest or best so good genes are diluted.

And also too big needs too many resources.

Also new male doesn't have to be bigger than old - just younger and hence faster and fitter and more desperate to get to the females.

Oh - and people hunt the biggest and best for trophies so they don't last long enough to impact on species.

[Edited on 1/5/10 by Ivan]


scootz - 1/5/10 at 04:55 PM

What on earth are you on about man???

The earth was created by GOD and HE alone dictates how things develop! If HE doesn't want the lions to become jumbo-sized cat beasts, then HE won't make it so!

Evolution... ??? Pah... !!!


Dangle_kt - 1/5/10 at 08:43 PM

Like a lot of things in science, evolution is a theory, as such there are parts of it that can have holes picked in it.

Only that it gets stated as a fact all the time that people dont want to question any aspect of it, in case they get called "thick" or a "creationist".

Same is true of lots of theories, the popular ones get heralded as facts by lay people and the media.


Guinness - 1/5/10 at 08:46 PM

I am led to believe there is a species of bird in South Africa, where the females select a male on the size of his tail feather. Hence little baby birds with longer and longer tail feathers.

Until they stop being able to fly and start becoming food for something else.


Macbeast - 1/5/10 at 09:41 PM

Bigger is not necessarily better.

Having a good chat up line is important.

[Edited on 1/5/10 by Macbeast]


MikeRJ - 1/5/10 at 09:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
So when the dominant is deposed, it would be by another bigger and stronger male than him and so on.



Alternatively, a younger and fitter male. You can't stay young all your life.


Peteff - 1/5/10 at 10:53 PM

And sometimes even the freaks get lucky


iank - 1/5/10 at 11:03 PM

Natural selection works on more than just sexual selection (as implied by Guinness) a bigger animal needs a lot more food and will starve in bad years giving the smaller males an advantage.


cd.thomson - 2/5/10 at 11:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Like a lot of things in science, evolution is a theory, as such there are parts of it that can have holes picked in it.



you're using the wrong definition of theory I'm afraid bud. A scientific theory is a general priniciple which summarises a body of empirical evidence. I.e. its a way of grouping facts.

"The Sun will rise tomorrow" is a scientific theory. "The Earth is spherical" is a scientific theory.

A theory is the most factual something can be without being pure maths.

The definition you're using is from philosophy where it means "speculation" and in noway relates to scientific theories.

To clear up the misunderstandings you're clearly having I recommend you read the new Dawkins, "The Greatest Show on Earth".


Badger_McLetcher - 2/5/10 at 06:26 PM

As someone said before, it's not just about being big and mean, it's about food supplies etc.
Still like the old Bill Hicks take on creationists


scudderfish - 2/5/10 at 06:31 PM

Evolution is a theory as much as gravity is. I don't look to an old book of stories to tell me why my arse is on the sofa.


Confused but excited. - 2/5/10 at 07:09 PM

'Survival of the fittest', doesn't mean the strongest, as in physically fit. It means fittest to suvive in the current circumstances. That's why little mammals suvived when big agressive dinosaurs didn't.
scudderfish; Your arse is on the sofa because it's comfy.
Thereforer , because we like them and look after them, sofas will survive.

[Edited on 2/5/10 by Confused but excited.]


RK - 2/5/10 at 11:23 PM

My theory is that Dawkins would be in less hot water everywhere he goes, if he didn't declare himself to be an atheist.


02GF74 - 3/5/10 at 08:10 AM

hmmm, I see your points about biggest is not bestest .... but most animals, maybe not the nutjob males, would size up themselves against an oponent before considering a fight - so they would need to be comparable in size.

the availability of food would mean the smaller beasties that need to eat less are favoured but still, over millions of millions of years, I still would have expected the size to increase.


Simon - 3/5/10 at 10:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by RK
My theory is that Dawkins would be in less hot water everywhere he goes, if he didn't declare himself to be an atheist.


I reckon most people are atheist, they just don't realise it. They're too busy enjoying the pressies at xmas, the chocolate at easter but they don't bother with church the rest of the year. The only reason people have weddings in church is for some decent photo's unlike the one you'd get in some civic building.

God was created by man as an answer to those questions that he is working towards answering, to give comfort to weak souls and to allow (in the past) educated people to control the plebs.

I quite like the idea of an afterlife, but suspect it'll be reusing the atoms, molecules and dna to feed a worm.

ATB

Simon


Madinventions - 3/5/10 at 11:11 PM

Couldn't have put it better if I'd tried!


Ed.


YQUSTA - 7/5/10 at 05:55 PM

We were created by aliens.

End of


Benzine - 7/5/10 at 06:06 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cd36WJ79z4


David Jenkins - 7/5/10 at 06:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Simon
I reckon most people are atheist, they just don't realise it. They're too busy enjoying the pressies at xmas, the chocolate at easter but they don't bother with church the rest of the year.


Christmas - formerly the pagan mid-winter solstice festival, when you know that the days are getting longer again.(Wiki ref)

Easter - formerly the pagan festival celebrating the goddess Eostre (Wiki ref)

So, sod all to do with Christianity.

We don't know the exact date when Jesus was born, nor do we know the date when he was crucified. The Romans forced these dates to make them acceptable to the plebs.


Dangle_kt - 7/5/10 at 06:23 PM

I meant exactly what I wrote. But thanks for trying to tell me what I meant....

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Like a lot of things in science, evolution is a theory, as such there are parts of it that can have holes picked in it.



you're using the wrong definition of theory I'm afraid bud. A scientific theory is a general priniciple which summarises a body of empirical evidence. I.e. its a way of grouping facts.

"The Sun will rise tomorrow" is a scientific theory. "The Earth is spherical" is a scientific theory.

A theory is the most factual something can be without being pure maths.

The definition you're using is from philosophy where it means "speculation" and in noway relates to scientific theories.

To clear up the misunderstandings you're clearly having I recommend you read the new Dawkins, "The Greatest Show on Earth".


hillbillyracer - 7/5/10 at 06:54 PM

I agree with you Dangle, it is a theory, it is Darwin's theory of evolution, not the philosopy or speculation of evolution!
Darwins ideas fit very well with the definition of theory, I see no better word to describe what they are.
I also agree that you could pick holes in it but while there are areas that are not yet understood you dont hear many scientists that are taken seriously doubting the theory, that's because they think it's pretty much right.


YQUSTA - 7/5/10 at 09:29 PM

I think there are huge holes in darwins theory.

I agreee with evolution as some thing that happens in life we can see it all around us

but

if darwin was correct where are the in betweens by that i mean half monkey half human surly no one can believe that evolution just decided that we have humans we can stop the monkeys from evolving.

As for religion i dont have the time to start on that subject apart from what a load of BS.

but all in all, live and let live and if it makes your life more enjoyable crack on


cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 09:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by YQUSTA

if darwin was correct where are the in betweens by that i mean half monkey half human surly no one can believe that evolution just decided that we have humans we can stop the monkeys from evolving.



you assume that humans are more "evolved" than monkeys just because we're intelligent.

In truth a monkey in a zoo and you have evolved equal amounts from its nearest common ancestor.

We didnt evolve from the animals you see around you. Stand in an imaginary line with your father on your right hand side, and his father on his right hand side and so on and so on. Then have a separate imaginary line with a chimpanzee and all its fathers and fathers fathers. Eventually you will reach a point where there is an individual who is a father for both lineages.

that is evolution.. you don't expect or need "middlemen" in between the animals that are currently alive.


cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 09:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Like a lot of things in science, evolution is a theory, as such there are parts of it that can have holes picked in it.

Only that it gets stated as a fact all the time that people dont want to question any aspect of it, in case they get called "thick" or a "creationist".

Same is true of lots of theories, the popular ones get heralded as facts by lay people and the media.


Sorry dangle i must have misunderstood your post.

you seemed to be suggesting scientific theory was different to scientific fact, but that musn't be the case.


jeffw - 8/5/10 at 07:05 AM

[Edited on 8/5/10 by jeffw]


JoelP - 8/5/10 at 07:20 AM

i do think there are some massive unexplained bits in evolution, that all scientists seem to gloss over. Most quoted example is the eye, which has countless genes to make it, but would need them all to work. There would be a selection pressure against half an eye.


YQUSTA - 8/5/10 at 09:03 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by YQUSTA

if darwin was correct where are the in betweens by that i mean half monkey half human surly no one can believe that evolution just decided that we have humans we can stop the monkeys from evolving.



you assume that humans are more "evolved" than monkeys just because we're intelligent.

In truth a monkey in a zoo and you have evolved equal amounts from its nearest common ancestor.

We didnt evolve from the animals you see around you. Stand in an imaginary line with your father on your right hand side, and his father on his right hand side and so on and so on. Then have a separate imaginary line with a chimpanzee and all its fathers and fathers fathers. Eventually you will reach a point where there is an individual who is a father for both lineages.

that is evolution.. you don't expect or need "middlemen" in between the animals that are currently alive.


I'm sorry but that is just wrong there has to be middlemen if evolution is a factor in the make up of a human. The monkey that we started out life as is the same in priciple as the ones you see today they have evoled slightly yes but in the same way that man has.

saying we come from a monkey that just so happens to not be around any more is like saying God and Jesus are real and the fairy tale story that was wrote in the Bible is 100% true.

It cannot be proved there are no signs of any monkey in todays world that even looks like a human why not?


cd.thomson - 8/5/10 at 11:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i do think there are some massive unexplained bits in evolution, that all scientists seem to gloss over. Most quoted example is the eye, which has countless genes to make it, but would need them all to work. There would be a selection pressure against half an eye.


it's interesting that the eye gets quoted so often when it's one of the best examples of adaptive evolution.

1. A cell evolves which produces a chemical signal when light falls on it. This is fairly straightfoward as the energy in light can simulate various reactions to take place. This cell would be selected for as it gives the organism greater functionality.

2. Clumps of these cells would be selected for as they would give stronger responses to incident light. You now have a basic retina.

3. If these clumps happened to form in recesses on the organism then they would again be selected for a this allows directionality of light to be assessed. The deeper the recess the more accurately you can tell the direction of the light. You now have an eye socket.

4. If the recess develops a coating then the sensitive cells will be protected again giving an advantage. The thicker this coating the more protection it offers. You now have the main consitituent of an eyeball.

5. If part of your protective coating becomes hard and it's clear then you have a basic lense which focuses light and allows some detail to be seen giving you yet more of an advantage. Although very basic this is now what you would describe as an eye.

Now these are only the key evolutionary milestones, this happened over millions of years in a 2 steps forward 1 step back fashion in a number of successive organisms.

A key point too is that the eye is RUBBISH. Those first photosensitive cells actually developed upside down facing away from the light and this is an error that has been passed down into our eyes. Light has to travel through to the back of the retina before it is detected! But because any ability to detect light gives an advantage it has proliferated.


cd.thomson - 8/5/10 at 11:59 AM

yqusta, Nottingham probably shouldn't have given me a degree on the subject then !

If you could see evolution then you would see the imaginary lines of individuals I've described. That is just what evolution is.

If you understand that concept then why would you expect there to be links between modern humans and modern chimpanzees that are alive at the same time? There is a link, it lived thousands of years ago and you can see it's fossils in a nearby natural history museum


scootz - 8/5/10 at 12:04 PM

Amen... er, I mean right on!


Benzine - 8/5/10 at 12:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
A key point too is that the eye is RUBBISH.


Blind spots in the eyes, hernias, back pain from recently (evolutionary) walking on 2 legs, ectopic pregnancy, a throat used for both ingestion and respiration (increasing risk of choking). So many flaws to chose from!


scudderfish - 8/5/10 at 02:01 PM

Did anyone see the C4 series where they dissected an elephant, a whale & a giraffe? They showed how the nerve that controls the vocal cords (circa 6 inches from the giraffe brain), goes all the way down to the chest, around the heart and back up again. Doesn't matter if your a small fish, but it is poor design for a giraffe. However there is no evolutionary pressure to reroute the nerve so it stays following it's bizarre route.


YQUSTA - 8/5/10 at 02:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
yqusta, Nottingham probably shouldn't have given me a degree on the subject then !

If you could see evolution then you would see the imaginary lines of individuals I've described. That is just what evolution is.

If you understand that concept then why would you expect there to be links between modern humans and modern chimpanzees that are alive at the same time? There is a link, it lived thousands of years ago and you can see it's fossils in a nearby natural history museum


Your degree does not mean the theory is correct as it is what it is a theory i could just as easily study a theory of evolution that is different and it could be argued that that theory is correct.

I understand the theory I just don't have (nor does anyone else to my knowlage) any solid proof.
Yes I agree totaly that evolution did, is and always will happen that is a fact and as you say if I were able to line up all of my fore farthers there would be a difference from start to finish but that alone is not enough to prove we were ever from one type not saying it couldnt happen but as with god until proven its just another point of view.


Madinventions - 8/5/10 at 02:48 PM

However, some points of view make sense, while others just really don't.

It's generally accepted that its not really possible to 'prove' any theory - it is only possible to disprove them. The ones that stands up against common sense and proper scientific analysis generally become the accepted theories, and those that can be disproved or replaced by something more sensible tend to disappear.


Ninehigh - 8/5/10 at 03:41 PM

I remember those Faraday lectures showing some sea animal that still used an eye that was a few "steps" of evolution behind most of ours..


Paul TigerB6 - 8/5/10 at 04:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scudderfish
I don't look to an old book of stories to tell me why my arse is on the sofa.



Its simply because you're a lazy barsteward???