Scientists have made one of the most important fossil finds in history: a missing link between fish and land animals, showing how creatures first walked out of the water and on to dry land more than 375m years ago.
Palaeontologists have said that the find, a crocodile-like animal called the Tiktaalik roseae and described today in the journal Nature, could become an icon of evolution in action – like Archaeopteryx, the famous fossil that bridged the gap between reptiles and birds.
As such, it will be a blow to proponents of intelligent design, who claim that the many gaps in the fossil record show evidence of some higher power.
Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist, said: “Our emergence on to the land is one of the more significant rites of passage in our evolutionary history, and Tiktaalik is an important link in the story.”
Looks like a alligator. Nothing will convince inteligence design advocates to stop pushing thier policies. They don’t even believe in thier own crap. It is all done for political purposes.
Darwin… Is that you?
News Alert: It turned out that it was just an old rotted shoe tree.
I like the smile.
I have never forced the issue that God has created the universe and everything in it. The only rhetoric I have seen/heard is stuff like this ‘trying to put a nail in the coffin of intelligent design’.
You are always going to have the kooks on both sides of the fence. Here is a novel concept, how about the atheists be atheists and the believers in God be believers in God? I don’t really care if you share my beliefs, but I sure would like it if you left me alone instead of constantly trying to prove that God doesn’t exist. If you ask me, it sounds like you have your doubts and need proof to concrete your thoughts?
Either way, I don’t care.
“I sure would like it if you left me alone instead of constantly trying to prove that God doesn’t exist”
Oh, I get it. Despite the fact that atheists make up about 10% of the US population, we’re the group being pushy. Yeah, I can’t go a day without seeing some atheist politician on TV… wait, there are no atheist politicians. Or some atheist newscaster… wait there are no atheist newscasters. Or some crazy atheist in the street trying to convert theists. Wait, I’ve never seen a crazy atheist in the street trying convert. All of those crazy people trying to convert are theists.
If you’re uncomfortable with the relatively few atheists out there your skin must be VERY thin. Try, just TRY to imagine what it’s like being an atheist and having “god” shoved down your throat everywhere you turn.
The word Truth should replace God. Then, Truth is whatever one believes, whether that belief was given or arrived at. If it was given then it was taken to be true by faith (religion). If it was arrived at then it was born into one’s existence by doubt (science). Truth should be validated by one’s own conscience and consciousness. One’s own intelligence will decide what is True. The Universal traits of Truth would be: empowerment, understanding and solance. One’s Truth, as long as it works for the individual person (not others), is Truth. For some people The Creation Story is enough to get through life. For others it is not. A Nation-State should allow for all beliefs but teach the highest just like God believers would not teach that Zeus or Hercules and Greek Mythology is the Highest Truth, although it would allow a place for them in education.
Wow, turning this political didn’t take long. Good job.
I never cease to be amazed that intelligent design folks can’t accept even the possibility that God created creatures that could evolve. You have God confused with Detroit.
Sorry atheist, I’m not fully on board with your pitch either. I may be mistaken, but everything on that path leads back to “I think, therefore I am”, a good start, but far from being the whole enchilada.
James, you make a good point. That might make for a good contest for this blog. Find a spin-proof topic.
That’s why Strom Thurmond was late for the last few senate votes!!!!
Ballenger, I hope (someday) you end up understanding evolution or science better than you comprehend the root conflict between materialism vs. idealism. What you probably would call atheism vs. god.
Your quote of the egregious Cartesian maxim is exactly the definition of philisophical idealism — the root for True Believers in all religions.
SN…you don’t get it. I don’t care what you believe. You are the one who seems to have the problems with freedom of religion and suffers from thin skin syndrome.
You don’t like what you see on TV? Turn it off.
Simple Stupid.
“I don’t care what you believe.”
And I don’t care what you believe. So we’re even in that regard.
However, I do care when you say something stupid and unsupported. That gets me off my couch and makes me respond. The fact that you have nothing of substance to say in response only proves my point. Thanks!
And you tell me to simply to turn off the TV if I see something I don’t like. That’s hilarious! YOU were the person telling atheists to stop interfering with your unsupported belief. So…
If you don’t like what you read on the internet, turn off your computer! Problem solved!
Moss, good news, someday is here now. I went with your suggestion and bought Cliff Notes on “philosophy, economics, evolution or science”. But, darn, now that I understand the material ( hopefully to your satisfaction) I still think the “root conflict” is liking the debate more than solving the conflicts and problems. I believe I read in one of those Cliff Notes that’s called Dickheadism.
Also, just for the record, I try not to think in terms of X vs. Y. It tends to warp your understanding of either X or Y. Comparing and contrasting can be fun, but not if it’s taken to the point you go blind.
Oh, and on my “egregious Cartesian maxim” you chose to ignore my comment that it was not the entire enchilada. Maybe I was vague on that point, but I didn’t want to delve too deeply into Enchiladaism. That can lead you down the path to “stuffed-shirtism” and sadly in extreme cases to “completelyfullofshitism”.
Peace.
I had a philosophy prof. who said he could always tell who was an American. You could find them in the front of the bus, the middle of the road and the back of a bathtub.
Keep sitting on the fence between religion and science, dude. You must be used to the feeling by now.
Or did I make an ‘oops”?
You did know you were quoting Descartes — when you were quoting Descartes, didn’t you?
American? Who you calling an American? OK, I am an American you caught me.
I wouldn’t argue the point about the front of the bus or the middle of the road, (we do get sloppy with our precision driving, having at least two lanes to work with most of the time, sorry cheap shot parry).
I’m perplexed on the “rear of the bathtub” concept though. I would think adjusting the water temperature and operating the drain with your hands vs. say… your butt, would be the method of choice worldwide. I tried to work in an “American Standard” joke here, but failed. Oh well.
No one cares what you believe.
We care when this debate affects public policy. Whether the government makes decisions based on objective evidence, or faith. What we teach our children. Not just for their sake, but for society’s sake as a whole.
Biotech is huge and will be a major industry in our economy. I can’t imagine any children who were taught that evolution is bunk becoming biologists, or biochemists, or contributing to that industry in any significant way.
So the fundamentalists can all become non-scientists. Fine. Belief in evolution or ID doesn’t really matter much to living one’s life outside of a science career.
But I do think attitudes towards science and free inquiry have large ramifications for society as a whole. The debate has devolved to the point that many feel you have to pick a side, and that will probably affect their attitude toward science and religion in the future, and towards public policy.
Moss on #17, I did know that was from Descartes. I only wish thoughts that well articulated just popped into my mind randomly.
Ok….back to the fossil!!!
I think it’s a really cool find. Apparently they had found the after fossils but had never found the true *middle* fossil. They also said it was like almost 9 feet long….no tad pole by any means.
Oh….I believe in a God. I also tend to think there are some very arrogant asses on both sides of the Atheist verses Believer arguments. When I sit on a ledge in the Vulture Mountains and look out on the Arizona desert, with all the diversity of life, the colours, the other mountains……I see nature at it’s best, but also God.