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Post by clockworkgirl21 on Aug 23, 2009 5:50:58 GMT -5
www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=105791Apparently, Darwin was wrong when he said the appendix was left over from our ancestors, and it has no function. That's like saying Frankenstein isn't a good book because it has a typo.
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Post by katsuro on Aug 23, 2009 6:49:50 GMT -5
Is this another one of those arguments based entirely on ignorance of what the term "vestigial organ" actually means?
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Post by Mantorok on Aug 23, 2009 7:49:56 GMT -5
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Post by Star Cluster on Aug 23, 2009 9:28:13 GMT -5
When building strawmen, one needs to grasp as many straws as possible.
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Post by Tiger on Aug 23, 2009 10:02:56 GMT -5
I read the PZ article yesterday and it doesn't mention what exactly the findings were, it just refutes the idea that "Darwin was mistaken about a minor anatomical detail that he mentioned exactly once in all his writings, therefore he was wrong about everything else too." Can anyone summarize for me?
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Post by yojetak on Aug 23, 2009 10:07:24 GMT -5
I read the PZ article yesterday and it doesn't mention what exactly the findings were, it just refutes the idea that "Darwin was mistaken about a minor anatomical detail that he mentioned exactly once in all his writings, therefore he was wrong about everything else too." Can anyone summarize for me? Apparently the appendix is a place where good bacteria can hang out in case you have a bad case of diarrhea or something where all the bacteria in your intestines is flushed out. |
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Post by Tiger on Aug 23, 2009 10:29:17 GMT -5
I read the PZ article yesterday and it doesn't mention what exactly the findings were, it just refutes the idea that "Darwin was mistaken about a minor anatomical detail that he mentioned exactly once in all his writings, therefore he was wrong about everything else too." Can anyone summarize for me? Apparently the appendix is a place where good bacteria can hang out in case you have a bad case of diarrhea or something where all the bacteria in your intestines is flushed out. That's actually pretty cool. |
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Post by RavynousHunter on Aug 23, 2009 11:05:57 GMT -5
The Human Body: Ingenious, yet dumber than a sack of hammers.
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Post by secularskeptic on Aug 23, 2009 11:27:04 GMT -5
It always amuses me when the RRers, who do not have even the most rudimentary understanding of science in the first place, proceed to proclaim their ignorance with pride.
Actually, it's a simultaneous amusement, nausea, and sadness.
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Post by Hades on Aug 23, 2009 12:10:48 GMT -5
It always amuses me when the RRers, who do not have even the most rudimentary understanding of science in the first place, proceed to proclaim their ignorance with pride. Actually, it's a simultaneous amusement, nausea, and sadness. Awhile back there was a quote on the front page of someone who literally said that they are proud of their ignorance. |
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Post by Caitshidhe on Aug 23, 2009 12:14:03 GMT -5
I wonder what you call that combined nauseated and amused feeling you get when you read RR threads? Nauseamusement? Amuseated?
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Post by Hades on Aug 23, 2009 12:17:37 GMT -5
Amuseated sounds good
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Post by Spark on Aug 23, 2009 12:21:46 GMT -5
I second Amuseated.
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Post by Vene on Aug 23, 2009 12:27:56 GMT -5
*sighs*
Darwin was wrong about a lot of things, that's well known and it's no big deal. Why? Because science changes over time getting more accurate. Every scientist makes mistakes, this is normal. Science still works and is still useful.
Anyways, about the appendix, it's still vestigial. That means it lost its original function, in this case that was to break down plant matter that we can no longer digest. Sure, it a minor immunological function now, and can apparently hold beneficial bacteria, but it still has a nasty habit of getting infected and killing you. It's still something that we would be better off as a species not having.
Plus, we have other vestigial organs and a lot more evidence for evolution than just vestigial structures. This in no way invalidates comparative anatomy, phylogenetic trees, the fossil record, comparative embryology, or observed speciation.
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Post by Trevelyan on Aug 23, 2009 12:49:11 GMT -5
Someone needs to draw a picture of Darwin fighting with a giant appendix.
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