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At 5/31/06 03:00 PM, x_Toadenalin_x wrote:

At 5/31/06 02:58 PM, pretentious_asshat wrote: I believe it has been estimated that there are eight forms of intelligent life in our galaxy alone.

Do you have a source? I don't disbelieve there is other intelligent life, I'm just curious as to how one arrives at that figure.

Unfortunately I can't refind the source, at least not immediately. However, here's a stepping stone:

http://www.pa.msu.ed..t/ask_st/061092.html

If there are 100 million potentially life-bearing planets, then surely at least a minute percentage of them support intelligent life.

Hang on, I've got it: The Drake Equation

Read through the website, pop in the lowest numbers possible, round your answer up, and you come at the hearty number of three.

It might not be eight at I originally said, but you can use other figures. Furthermore, my initial point still stands - the galaxy is so massive that it cancels out the apparently slim chances of intelligent life forming on another planet.

i had a conversation with a christian peer of mine ( i say peer because hes an idiot and i dont like him, not because hes christian but because hes an assface....anyways) he said i was going to hell because i believe in evolution. these were his exact words: "Evolution is fucking stupid. Monkeys can't turn into humans, there would be no more monkeys." like i said, this kid is a complete idiot. Evolution doesnt state that monkeys turned into humans. it states that monkeys and humans have a similar ancestor from which they evolved from (i.e. the missing link). monkeys didnt turn into humans, an animal that was similar to a mix between monkeys and humans (so to speak) evolved in many different directions. if you dont understand this theory, you're probably asking, "Many different directions? what does this person mean??" well, news flash, theres not just 1 type of monkey. theres HUNDREDS of types of monkeys. the baboon, the ape, the arangutan (mispelled probably) and this is only a small example of the hundreds of monkeys. in conclusion, evolution IS a theory, but it has scientific evidence to back it up.

You guys are jumping around the real issue. Evolution has no theory for creation. Christians already believe in natural selection, it's a proven fact. It's not Micro Evolution because Natural Selection is nothing near what evolutionists call it. It's simply changiving to the needs of your enviroment.

At 5/31/06 03:24 PM, pretentious_asshat wrote: Hang on, I've got it: The Drake Equation

Thanks. That's pretty awesome.

At 5/31/06 03:53 PM, x_Toadenalin_x wrote:

At 5/31/06 03:24 PM, pretentious_asshat wrote: Hang on, I've got it: The Drake Equation

Thanks. That's pretty awesome.

I got to a religious school, and I myself believe that evolution takes place. Yeah, people tell me that it's those are two contradictary viewpoints, but I don't believe that to be the case. Sure, there are debates, but most people I meet accept that evolution is simply a part of my faith, and are ok with it.

(I consider myself blessed that I have very few morons at my school.)

The Drake Equation is purely based on assumptions and speculation and holds no proof whatsoever... Read the book: How to lie with statistics.

it's Lies! all lies! Satan buried the dinosaur bones (4000 years ago) to confuse us, and test our faith

At 5/31/06 05:32 PM, Humbucker740 wrote: The Drake Equation is purely based on assumptions and speculation and holds no proof whatsoever... Read the book: How to lie with statistics.

I agree. No-one has ever pretended it is anything other than an assumption. Nonetheless, even allowing virtually no chance for life to develop, there are so many stars that it is almost certain it will.

At 5/31/06 05:32 PM, Humbucker740 wrote: The Drake Equation is purely based on assumptions and speculation and holds no proof whatsoever... Read the book: How to lie with statistics.

I don't deny that the Drake equation is based entirely off assumptions, but "How to lie wih statistics" is irrelevant - scientists simply don't "lie" to sway people away from religion or any shit like that.

Still, the only assumptions made are things like this:

[i]Question: For each star that does have a planetary system, how many planets are capable of sustaining life?
Answer: Current estimates range from 1 to 5.[/i]

You can put in the lowest variables possible - variables that are far lower than the estimates, therefore nulling previous assumptions - and still get three as a result.

For the record, I worked in Dr. Teri Marcow's evolutionary biology lab at the University of Arizona and am a microbiology major.

OK, microevolution is more than just "adapting to your environment." It is observable natural selection. It is when the least adapted members of a species or population die out, leaving only the best adapted.

And as for evolution not explaining creation; it's not supposed to. It only explains the constant changes in living things over the aeons. But there are sevearl theories about how life arose from the scientific standpoint, most of them involving how nucleaic acids' self-replicating/enzyme-like activity could have, through sheer dumb luck, crossed the line from really, really complicated chemical to living thing. Self-replicating chemicals can be created in laboratories without biological precursers.

Now, I may as well mention that I am not an athiest. I just think that it's impossible for a reasonably educated person to believe that God intends us to view the book of Genisis as a factual account. Just because science has all but proven evolution to be true does not mean that the message of the Bible is wrong. Only through brainwashing can "the inteligent design hypothesis" and other forms of creationsism spread. Just cause God didn't make the Earth in the same way the Bible says, doesn't mean He's not up there and wants us to do our best to be good people.

Depending on how you define inteligence, there's at least three other organisms on Earth that could qualify. Dolphins have a complex language (they're trying to decode it, but most of it's way beyond human hearing, so it's tricky), including "call signs" they use to identify themselves as we use our names. The higher primates (i.e. Chimps) pass most tests for sentience. And, the odd third canidates, which most people don't realize, the octopus. An Octopus can actually learn how to unscrew the lid of a jar just by watching another octopus do it. The only reason octopodes don't form civilizations is their short life spans and anti-social nature. The only reason dolphin's don't have a civilization like our is their nomadic nature and lack of opposable thumbs. And chimps...fuck chimps I can't explain it. Maybe we just beat 'em to it.

At 5/31/06 06:42 PM, SparkyValentine wrote: Maybe we just beat 'em to it.

Or...
they're too stupid?

I think humans had to develop because we just had it so damn tough. Look at us. In africa? Forget it, we're dead if we're not clever enough to invent sticks and shit. Homo erectus was like... the loser of all apes. Small and living in the open... while giant lions roamed around and shit. Its a wonder they lived long enough to be replaced :o
Today, they'd just... die out... They'd be on the "idiot animals we have to save" list. :(

Imagine though.
You're living in the plains... running for your life 24/7 until one day you sit around a camp fire and there's not another animal who comes near you lest you fling burning debris at them :o
Imagine that generation. The generation to get fire. That would be pretty sweet being those dudes.

At 5/31/06 06:58 PM, -poxpower- wrote:

At 5/31/06 06:42 PM, SparkyValentine wrote: Maybe we just beat 'em to it.

Or...
they're too stupid?

Yeah, it must have kicked ass to have fire.

But the Neaderthals had it too. Good thing they died out. Politics would be even more complicated...

At 5/30/06 03:27 AM, -poxpower- wrote:

At 5/29/06 06:45 PM, SEXY_FETUS wrote:

At 5/29/06 04:48 PM, -poxpower- wrote: bunch of shit.

You realise he was wondering why where evolution is accepted darwinism is as well.

Because people don't know shit and the media sure isn't helping.
As if anyone cared anyways.

There ya go, that would be on topic.

Who says apes and humans didn't evolve in different chains from another animal further back?

Wow, who cares?
How's that gonna help anyone?
"oh sorry, you're right mister priest, we did not evolve from apes, rather we evolved directly from rats."

That would be the point of the topic.

Fuck off, Die, take some of your own advice get off the soapbox shove a broom handle up your ass sit down and learn some humility and common sense.

Why do people like you exist?
"FUCK YOU ASSHOLE, I AM A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN SO I WILL KILL YOUR KIDS AND BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN IF YOU DON'T RESPECT ME, FUCKER"

That's what you sound like.

I did mention I'm an athiest as well. I just get irritated when people twist discussions to soapbox their views. Your take on this topic is just like a pro-abortion/lifer ruining a discussion on condoms being given out in school. With my piece said I'm done with this topic, it's apparent people would rather sit back bashing the christians rather then try to make something interesting out of a good question.