What does evolution theory offer for today or the future benefit of mankind?

Question

I don't see how it offers anything. And if it doesn't, then why are those that discredit it stigmatized in the scientific community? Is that not close mindedness?

Answer 1

Without modern evolution, there is no modern biology.  It's that simple.  

The overwhelming evidence from all directions points to evolution as a fact.  There is no evidence that does not support it.

Personally, I think that people who don't believe in evolution should put their money where their mouth is - the next time

you get sick, just suck it up.  Don't go to the doctor's for antibiotics (new ones are always being developed because of EVOLUTION); don't get a flu shot (if there's no EVOLUTION, you won't need one).

Answer 2

Close mindedness is when you decide what you believe first and then go about trying to find evidence to prove it.  Open mindedness is when you follow the evidence where ever it leads.

Evolutionary theory isn't about "offering" anything.  It is an explanation of events that have occured in the past and that will happen in similar ways in the future based on evidence in the world around us.  

Those that discredit evolution don't actually discredit it- the evidence speaks for itself.  Those that don't like the idea of evolution and criticize it do so because it messes with their faith-based ideas of how the world works.  Unfortunately those ideas don't hold up to scrutiny.  

The scientific community stigmatizes anyone who believes stuff just because they want to believe it.  Even other scientists!

You need to understand that there is not just one "scientific community" where we scientists go and hang out together.  There's no "science" that is like a big church where everyone believes the same thing.   There are different opinions between the many sciences, also. There are even different scientific methods... not just one.  

The most important factor in good sciences, however, is that the stuff researchers put out there is based in empirical evidence, not faith.  You present your results with data that can be replicated by other people at different times to validate it.  

It is also important to understand that scientists understand that they don't know everything.  Science changes over time because we learn more and adjust what we know with the discovery of new evidence.  If this didn't happen science would be dead.  Instead science is vibrant and alive and constantly growing and developing.

Unfortunately religion is stuck in one place- there's no opportunity to learn more because everything is based in writings made thousands of years ago by people who didn't know everything we know now.  It's all about dogma.  You're not allowed to question what you believe.  Scientists are encouraged to question what they've discovered so that they can find out more and improve our knowledge base.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

You are obviously baiting and you do not actually wish to hear anything that conflicts with your own set notions. Goodie for you, as you'll certainly not "evolve" in your own thinking when are not truly interested in what others have to say. Evolution as a concept is merely "process". The theory of evolution is a description of the "processes" in the sciences, not related to religion or even a First Cause. Science and Religion are taught in different buildings for a good reason you know.

Answer 4

The theory of evolution is the unifying theory of biology, of which medicine is a subset.  It's probably one of the more universally useful theories to come out in a long time.  Thanks to our knowledge of evolution, we understand better how diseases work.  For instance, that flu shot you get each year- we know you have to get them every year because we know that the flu evolves.  We also know to keep an eye on diseases like the bird flu.  It's not too big of a deal right now, but if that virus evolves to transmit through the air, we know we'd be in big trouble.  Now we're able to keep an eye on it and hopefully catch it early.  Then, of course, there's genetics and medicine.  The study of genetics is closely tied in with evolution, and we've gone a long way towards understanding and hopefully curing many tragic diseases.

The reason that those who try to discredit evolution are stigmatized in the scientific community is because most, if not all, of them don't understand the science they are talking about.  "Evolution is just a theory" is one argument against it, used by people who don't understand that science has specialized vocabulary and "theory" means something different than it does to the layperson.  Evolution exists, it is a fact, and we know a lot about the way it works.  Those who deny it have not done their research, don't understand the science, and use pseudoscience to support their claims.  It's kind of like Buzz Aldrin having to listen to people claiming the moon landing is a hoax.

Answer 5

Evolutionary theory has applications in many other discliplines that are beneficial to mankind. Germ theory led to advances in modern medicine, but it didn't directly benefit anyone. Still, we don't say germ theory was useless.

Evolution is a set of processes that explain how populations adapt in response to the environment. That's it. It has applications in things like medicine, where understanding evolution is a first step to understanding why antibiotics discovered in the 1940s don't work so well in 2007, and agriculture, where understanding the teocinte to maize evolution is one step toward understanding how selective processes today can affect our food supply in the future.

Scientists who try to discredit evolution are not trying to discredit a theory that has no value or benefit to anyone. But more than that, the theory of evolution has a lot of evidence behind it. It's an uphill fight trying to supplant the theory with something else. If a scientist were to discredit evolution with a strong body of evidence gathered in accordance with the scientific method, that would be one thing. Most people who actually do it are another.

That's the reality of the situation. Science likes evolution because it explains a lot. If a supportable theory came along that explained more, science would eventually like that better.

Answer 6

What do you mean "offer anything"?  The theory explains the evolution of life on Earth from the creation of the Earth till the ultimate demise of the planet.

Answer 7

i agree, evolution is a Myth of Mortal proportions.

the day I saw a vision of Jesus christ proved to me that there is a God. The day he answered my prayers also proved it. The day I saw an angel appear in my room proved it.

There is a painting which comes close to what i saw, check out the link

Answer 8

Evolutionary theory offers an idea of human development that the average person can grasp.

Answer 9

Evolution teaches us the importance of the genes in determining traits,

even character traits, which is called 'evolutionary psychology'. The theists

believe that all goodness comes from a god (aka 'God') and that evil comes

from a devil (Satan), whereas the atheist evolutionists (like me) believe that

goodness comes from the genes. However, there are many people that

pretend to be theists that are in fact closet atheist evolutionists. Such people

include the quiverfull christians, many catholics, and other theists that make

many genetic offspring. Such high-reproduction behavior shows that those

so-called theists believe that character is caused by genes and evolutionary

psychology, not by the powerful spirits of God and Satan, or by 'free will'.

I for one, am glad that there are so many closet atheist evolutionists. It's too

bad that they so strongly desire to keep their true beliefs a secret.

Answer 10

Dude!  Any scientist that doesn't believe in evolution is unfit to work in any field of science and should be summarily dismissed.  I work with some, and can't stand them.  I hate it when they win arguments about creationism.  They use scientific evidence that counters mine, and I just can't win with them.

Answer 11

You are a twit. Evolution offers the only true answers to the human condition. Those that discredit it, do just that, as they have nothing to propose as an alternative. Rather like you.