evolution in KS

[Bruce Walsh]

John Grehan wrote: "
 However, the PREDICTION from evolution is the whale and that bat will
have closer
biochemistry than the bat and the bird. 

A creationist could make the same prediction based on the view that whale
and
bat share unique characters that represent "god's plan"."

--- I think not.  The key here is the evolution makes the prediction
(i.e. makes a statement IN ADVANCE as to what will happen).  The creationist
examines the observation AFTER THE FACT.  This is the difference between
science and religion.

Evolution is indeed VERY testable, as we can make predictions in advance,
and then see if our predicitons hold.

However, if we follow John's line of thougth, gravity is only a THEORY,
not a fact.   We can never see gravity (have you ever seen lines of force
between objects?), we only see the CONSEQUENCES of gravity.  Likewise, how
do we know that gravity works on other stars?  Or even on the moon (before
we got there)?    We believe gravity is a fact because each time we test
its predictions they hold true.  The same is correct for evolution.

Peace

Bruce

Bruce Walsh
Associate Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Biosciences West
University of Arizona
Tucson,  AZ  85721  USA

email:   jbwalsh at u.arizona.edu
Office:  520 621-1915
Fax (Departmental)  520 621 9190

home page:  http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu

Quantitative Genetics page:  http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/zbook/book.ht
ml

Arizona Moths page: http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/zeeb/butterflies/mothl
ist.html

Arizona butterflies page: http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/zeeb/butterflies
/seazlist.html