Tetronian comments on The Wonder of Evolution - Less Wrong

34 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 02 November 2007 08:49PM

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Comment author: thomblake 26 April 2012 08:29:53PM 11 points [-]

There is at least some sense in which the general pattern of evolution is not falsifiable - but to precisely that extent, it's not science. There is a mathematical certainty that an evolution-like process would occur in a system with random heritable changes that can selectively help or hinder reproduction. For a theist to deny evolution exists in general, they would have to insist God actively stops it from happening every day (or deny that random heritable mutations occur, or deny that they can help or hinder reproduction).

Comment author: [deleted] 26 April 2012 08:43:32PM 2 points [-]

There is a mathematical certainty an evolution-like process would occur in a system with random heritable changes that can selectively help or hinder reproduction

But this doesn't make it unfalsifiable, strictly speaking, because it can still be tested like any other empirical claim, similar to how one might "test" 2+2=4.

Comment author: thomblake 27 April 2012 01:40:04PM 1 point [-]

Sure, that.