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To: Aquinasfan
Evolutionary theory is also commonly understood as including explanations for the origin of life.

I'm sorry, but you're incorrect. The modern synthesis theory (comprised of Darwin's theory of natural selection, Mendel's theory of inheritance, and advances in molecular biology since the description of the DNA molecule by Watson, Crick, and others) does not address origins. Evolution is defined as the change in the frequency of patterns of genes that occur over time in populations of organisms. It does not, it cannot encompass how life began. This may be the common understanding, but as with the common usage of the word theory, it is not technically correct.

...neither evolutionary theory nor origin of life theory will admit of the possibility of supernatural causality.

This is because the supernatural falls outside the realm of scientific investigation. Science is unequipped to address metaphysical questions. It is not a matter of admission. The purpose of science is only to describe the physical world in concrete terms, and to do so in such a way as to produce predicable results.

80 posted on 05/03/2005 8:34:32 AM PDT by Liberal Classic (No better friend, no worse enemy. Semper Fi.)
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To: Liberal Classic
This is because the supernatural falls outside the realm of scientific investigation. Science is unequipped to address metaphysical questions.

Really? Why? I've looked at the scientific method. Please explain how it would be unable to be applied to a metaphysical cause that resulted in an observable event.

378 posted on 05/03/2005 7:03:50 PM PDT by frgoff
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