Evolution and Intelligent Design
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Evolutionists believe that species arose by gradual change from simpler forms. Strawberry plants, cherry trees, blackberries, raspberries, hawthorns and apples all have a family likeness because they all arose from a common ancestor, which resembled a primitive rose. Hence botanists call this plant family the ROSACEAE.
Similarly all primates (including humans and apes) have a common ancestor. Going back further, all species of mammals diverged from a common ancestor, and so on into the dim and distant past until we reach one common ancestor of all lifeforms, which originated the DNA coding which is universal for all plants, animals, fungi and bacteria on earth. Consequently, to evolutionists the biological species concept does not reflect any underlying reality. A species is purely a snapshot of an interbreeding population of organisms at a particular epoch in time, and as time progresses the characteristics of that population will gradually change in response to selective pressures.
Buddhist philosophy is evolutionary and thus agrees with the scientists rather than the theologians. Buddha taught that all things are impermanent, constantly arising, becoming, changing and fading . Buddhist philosophers consequently rejected the Platonic idea of production from 'ideal forms' as being the fallacy of 'production from inherently existent other'. According to most schools of Buddhism there is nothing whatsoever that is inherently or independently existent..
The two main creationist objections to evolution are:
1 Disagreement with Genesis
2 Blurring of the theological distinction between human and animal
Neither of these pose any threat to Buddhist philosophy. The first objection is based on the need to maintain the truth of a particular creation story in order to preserve the underlying basis for all Biblical truth. This is not a worry to Buddhists because there is no corresponding Buddhist creation myth, and Buddhist philosophers have always accepted that the universe is many hundreds of millions of years old.
The second theological objection is that evolution states that there is a continuum between ape and man, ie human and animal.(A favourite anti-evolutionary slogan is 'Don't let them make a Monkey of You!). This is not a problem for Buddhists, who believe that both humans and animals possess sentient minds which survive death. However it is a major problem for theologians. The church has always taught that only humans have immortal souls, whereas animals are automata whose minds cease at death. Humans and animals were created separatedly and hence are totally different types of being. But if there was a gradual transition between animal and man, as the evolutionists claim, then such theological beliefs fall apart.
The theologians are left with three alternative unpalatable viewpoints:
- Both humans and animals are and always have been automata (the materialist's position).
- Both humans and animals are sentient beings whose minds survive death (the Buddhist position)
- At some arbitrary date in the past the apemen were suddenly equipped with souls.
No matter what philosophical knots the theologians may be forced to unravel, from the Buddhist viewpoint the theory of evolution has considerable explanatory power, in particular demonstrating why dukkha (the sensation of unsatisfactoriness) is a pervasive experience of all sentient beings throughout the evolved biosphere. -
A good input and I had a good read, Thanks.
btw, Ajahn Brahm CD (a set of 2) on "Evolution vs Intelligent Design" is now available at Buddhist Fellowship at $10. -
Just wondering anyone got the CDs already?
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how about "Emotional Design"?
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thnksOriginally posted by concerned_man:A good input and I had a good read, Thanks.
btw, Ajahn Brahm CD (a set of 2) on "Evolution vs Intelligent Design" is now available at Buddhist Fellowship at $10.
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I've got the CDs and sound quality is excellent. Anyone can advise to where I can upload and how I can convert it to MP3?
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http://www.lights.com/pickalink/freestorage/ - Free Online Storage
http://www.cdex.n3.net/ - a very good audio converter -
Simple. The factory is not ISO certified. Duh!Originally posted by bohiruci:Darwin theory of Evolution was always challenging the age-old idea of intelligent design
They main issue is if intelligent design is that immaculate , why are people born with disability or suffer from hereditary disease of imperfectness
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I could not get cdex to install successfully and I've only limited HD space. My comp is kinda very low-end.
I'll see if there is any alternative.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:http://www.lights.com/pickalink/freestorage/ - Free Online Storage
http://www.cdex.n3.net/ - a very good audio converter -
ok I managed to convert the files to MP3.
I've tried with BigUpload and with an error at the end : Move file error.
Anyone can advise?
I am trying upload2.com up it is kinda slow.
Any suggestions?
thanks. -
CNA has got great stuffs about evolution.
Catch Channel News Asia Documentary of the Week. I can't remember the name of the documentary. -
download cuteftp programOriginally posted by concerned_man:ok I managed to convert the files to MP3.
I've tried with BigUpload and with an error at the end : Move file error.
Anyone can advise?
I am trying upload2.com up it is kinda slow.
Any suggestions?
thanks. -
Karma, Evolution and Intelligent Design part 1 of 5 : http://www.upload2.com/?cmd=_viewer&file=e73f5a2e67517e1ca956bcf608261e30.mp3&s=81698
or
Click Here To Listen To Karma Evolution and Intelligent Design 1
Part 2, 3, 4 and 5 coming ... -
The interesting part is also the Q&A. To be continued ...
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The files are there temporary. Please dwnld them before the download expires.
The Q&A is very interesting.
Thanks you very much to the source who pass me the VCDs and Buddhist Followship. Amitabha.
You may also want to get this VCDs at Buddhist Followship. There are other interesting English CDs and VCDs.
Thanks. -
Thanks so much for sharing with us. I have listened to the first one so far, very interesting indeed
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The CDs is available at Buddhist Fellowship at $10 ea.(A set of 2).
Very clear recording. There is another CD about "What happens after death". -
New York Times
THE EVOLUTION DEBATE
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/sciencespecial2/index.html?OVGNevolutionintelligentdesign -
Anyone watch HOMO SAPIENS at CNA channel? Offers very intriguing suggestions pertaining to this topic. Great stuff.
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interesting showOriginally posted by concerned_man:Anyone watch HOMO SAPIENS at CNA channel? Offers very intriguing suggestions pertaining to this topic. Great stuff.