The origin of current species - how did it happen?

[dmallind]

Poll question: The origin of current species - how did it happen?

Simple enough - trying to see what the closest view to yours is and whether you are a believer or not. In this case nonbeliever includes all nontheists such as agnostics and atheistic Buddhists. Obvioulsy there is no proof for any of those (not that that makes them equally likely) so answer based on which you feel is most likely, not immutable truth.

[begin_within]

1. What even qualifies human beings as a species? I would call them a virus.

[frebrd]

16. My sentiments exactly!

:)

[Laura902]

17. True that! n/t

[ChadwickHenryWard]

18. From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species#Biologists.27_working_definition

Biologists' working definition

A usable definition of the word "species" and reliable methods of identifying particular species is essential for stating and testing biological theories and for measuring biodiversity. Traditionally, multiple examples of a proposed species must be studied for unifying characters before it can be regarded as a species. It is generally difficult to give precise taxonomic rankings to extinct species known only from fossils.

Some biologists may view species as statistical phenomena, as opposed to the traditional idea, with a species seen as a class of organisms. In that case, a species is defined as a separately evolving lineage that forms a single gene pool. Although properties such as DNA-sequences and morphology are used to help separate closely-related lineages, this definition has fuzzy boundaries. However, the exact definition of the term "species" is still controversial, particularly in prokaryotes, and this is called the species problem. Biologists have proposed a range of more precise definitions, but the definition used is a pragmatic choice that depends on the particularities of the species concerned.

The commonly used definition of species for sexually reproducing organisms is something like, "a group of organisms capable of interbreeding with one another; most importantly, able to combine genes by reproducing." Humans fit easily into that definition.


Also from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus

A virus (from the Latin virus meaning toxin or poison) is a small infectious agent that can only replicate inside the cells of another organism.

...

Opinions differ on whether viruses are a form of life, or organic structures that interact with living organisms. They have been described as "organisms at the edge of life", since they resemble organisms in that they possess genes and evolve by natural selection.

Humans clearly do not fall into that category. Your taxonomy is deeply flawed.

I think your problem is that you are allowing a negative value judgment of the human species and viruses to conflate the two and confound your classifications.

[skepticscott]

20. Well, we have

more virus DNA in our genome than genes of our own that are actually expressed, so you might have something there...

[notesdev]

2. Don't have enough data to say one way or another

The truth is that we just don't know.

[gcomeau]

22. We have more than enough data.

And the truth is we know perfectly well. Evolutionary theory is one of the (if not THE, period) most evidentially supported scientific theory in the history of mankind for cripes sake. We know how modern species got here as well as we can be said to know anything at all.

[Warpy]

3. Retroviruses

DNA and RNA have been produced in the lab from inert chemicals, along with protein chains. It would only be a matter of time before they were sorted into combinations and permutations and that is life, folks.

[Deep13]

15. Enough throws of the dice and the unlikely becomes inevitable. nt

[benld74]

4. WHAT'S A BELIVER?

[YOY]

5. I dunno, but I wasn't one until I saw her face...

n.t.

[kirby]

6. Not a trace of doubt in my mind n/t

[YOY]

8. I couldn't leave her if I tried.

n.t.

[The_Commonist]

7. Does that mean Neil Diamond is god?

St. Peter, St. Michael, St. Mickey and St. Davey?

[YOY]

9. Did you need me to tell you he was?

And the song Shiloh is all about his blessing the sacred act of masturbation.

[dmallind]

13. erm... a TYPO FOR THE OTHER SIX INSTANCES OF "BELIEVER" maybe? NT

[zipplewrath]

10. #6

It's a nice catch all. Pretty much "all of the above". It includes the folks that think the earth IS God. The real answer is "who knows" and really what difference does it make. It doesn't negate the history of the last 10,000 years and what is past is prologue.

[BurtWorm]

11. Are you asking about species or the origin of life on earth?

You seem to be asking two different questions at once--or supplying answers for two different questions at once.

I think Darwin and his followers are right about the origin of species stemming from natural selection. I don't have enough information about the origin of life on earth.

[dmallind]

14. You are correct - both. Essentially "how did current species come to be" including ab initio. NT

[Ian David]

12. Evolution is just the list of species Chuck Norris hasn't killed yet. n/t

[lazarus]

19. non believer, mechanistic origins of life

and the universe. I'm intrigued by "brane" theory for cosmology, and the origins of life are easy. Organic molecules form, lightning strikes, life begins. Given a long enough time scale, it's not unlikely at all.

[Ready4Change]

21. Other: Undecided

I see no direct evidence of a divine hand.

However, the mystery that there being anything AT ALL prompts me to keep an open mind.

[rd_kent]

23. .