Falsifiability? Let's not be Naive. (Page 5)

AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: Ok, let me try to explain.....

Take a theory such as

"Those lemurs with relatively long tails will survive and reproduce more successfully than those with relatively short tails"

This is an empirical hypothesis. It may be true or it may be false. Its truth or falsity cannot be ascertained by closing your eyes and thinking. You'd have to scoot to Madagascar (as I will soon) and conduct research.

The problem with natural selection "theory" (puke) is that it GENERALIZES. And when you generalize you get utter vacuity.

You end up with "Those organisms with stuff that is advantageous to getting laid will tend to get laid"

This is no longer an empirical hypothesis. To ascertain its truth you don't need to buy a flight ticket to Antananarivo. All you have to do is close your eyes.
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: "Semantics is fun lol"

It sure is. Saves getting dirty in the jungle.

Science was never so easy.
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: I personally hate tautologies
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: Sadly the spirit of what Darwin was trying to say was in his work, however,the wording was just a tad unfortunate
(Edited by Angry Beaver)
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: To be clear, what I'm critiquing now is the vacuity of natural selection.

There's more to Darwin/Wallace than natural selection.

As Kitty said, descent with modification is a perfectly respectable scientific hypothesis.

Natural selection is a circular merry-go-round.
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: It is these days with humans considering our easy as shit lifestyle, no more hunter gatherers or alpha male type societies. The unfit can also thrive/survive
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: No more hunter-gatherers?

You've obviously never been to Glasgow.
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: "The unfit can also thrive/survive"

No, they can't. By definition, the "unfit" are those who do NOT thrive and survive.

Unless you can define fitness without reference to surviving and reproducing.

Be my guest
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: I am here for the afterparty/aftermath of Colin's imploded logic/to discuss colin's logic/ eat some lemur meat
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: If you're a specky four-eyed nerd and get laid a lot, then by definition you are fit.
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: The problem with fitness is that it's -- as we say in the business -- "multiply realizable".

4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: Have you ever seen a miniature Icelandic Sasquatch?
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: Im here to play the devils advocate
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: Too late. Keanu Reeves beat you to it.
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: well the housing commission people around here seem to have a handle on the whole thrive/survive scenario with their 7 kids to 7 fathers....and most aren't fit for society
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: No! Wait i had something for this!
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: Two tight teens naked strapped to a hospital gurney.
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: Shit! I meant to type that into google
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: Bwahahahahaha

Hmmm seems to get a lot of pornhub hits, that one
(Edited by Angry Beaver)
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: Beaver, you raise a good point.

Darwin's concept of "fitness" was our intuitive concept, i.e., think of big muscles, sharp claws, etc.

As I said, it doesn't work. Sharp claws aren't gonna help you much if you're a.... er axolotl.
4 years ago Report
0
theHating
theHating: Beavs, you believe in evolution??? got ourselves a lemur, colin?
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: I'm sure he meant it to apply among similar animals in the same species, not between sabretooth tigers and chickens lol
4 years ago Report
0
AchillesSinatra
AchillesSinatra: These days, fitness is defined in terms of survival and reproduction.

Hence the vacuity.

If fitness COULD be defined in terms of sharp claws or whatever, the natural selection hypothesis would not be vacuous.

It would be false.
4 years ago Report
1
theHating
theHating: Whats next, you're gunna tell me bees didnt develop tits cause the bears and flowers didnt think that was very sexy?
4 years ago Report
0
Angry Beaver
Angry Beaver: Unless they are really FAST chickens?
4 years ago Report
0