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Re: [Phys-l] Another alternative theory horror



Warning:

All of these current examples are of micro-evolution occurring over relatively short time spans.
Many fundamentalist 'apologists' are willing to accept these examples but require invocation of 'Intelligent Design' for macro-evolution to occur over geologic timescales.

Fossil discoveries are constantly bolstering the theory of macro- evolution but will NEVER be complete enough to convince the dedicated 'Intelligent Designist' (or whatever cloak the 'Creationists' next choose to don.)

Most 'Young Earth-ers' have thrown in the towel but macro-evolution will be a serious sticking point here in the US for many more years.



On Feb 10, 2008, at 5:36 PM, John Denker wrote:

On 02/10/2008 02:15 PM, Connie Tyree wrote:
Why does a layman need to understand evolution? Let's say you get
leukemia and need a bone marrow transplant because the leukemia cells
have become resistant to the different types of chemo you have had to
endure several times. After each chemo treatment, a few of the cancer
cells, the "strongest" cells, survive to reproduce and accumulate in your
marrow once again. Each bone marrow biopsy you are forced to suffer is
analyzed using genetic studies.

An excellent point.

Continuing that line of thought:

Why does a layman need to understand evolution?

Another answer, in the same vein as the previous answer, is
multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) which is very
dangerous. Its existence is easily explained by saying it
/evolved/ when laymen didn't understand evolution sufficiently
to see the importance of continuing their antibiotics after
they "felt better".

Ditto for MDR-TB, which was big in the news a few months
ago. Its existence is easily explained by saying these
critters /evolve/, and they don't need millions of years
to do it.

Ditto for flu vaccines. Why do you think people need a new
flu vaccine every year? It's not because the vaccine "wears
off". It's because last year's vaccine isn't effective against
this year's bug. Again this is easily explained in terms of
evolution.

=============================

If anybody thinks evolution isn't the right way to explain
these observations, please come up with a better explanation.
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