"Acrimonious bickering and insults seem to be a sort of 'hobby' to some--- especially in the UK"

This is part of the US-UK dichotomy and is shown endlessly on Mudcat. Sincere, passionate debate is part of the culture of our islands. We reserve the right to say we think something is total bollocks if we think it is, and all around family dinner tables on a Sunday, in pubs and social clubs, as we're eating our tea in front of the telly, at bus stops, in cafes or in fact anywhere you get more than one person from these islands you will find vigorous, robust and animated debate occurring. It might look odd to those who are unfamiliar with discussing things this way, but that's your loss in all honesty. We've been here for thousands of years doing it, and that's how our society works.

There are no sacred cows here, or in any discussion. Bollocks to that.


"Isn't it all a gigantic waste of time? Let people believe what they wish, they are as likely to be right as any scientist?"

No, they're not. You might think it's a waste of time, but then you typed that on a computer that uses technology developed from methodologies that science have used to investigate the universe etc.


"No, I am not completely certain that evolution happens because I take a scientific view of the world, not a pseudo-religious one. Science doesn't do "completely certain". I can't agree with "Evolution is true" because, as others on this thread have pointed out, science doesn't do absolute truth."

How do we decide something is true? At what point do we as a society say "this is an established fact?". Although we can't say for 100% evolution is true, we can say it's as near a dammit that it has occurred and is occurring. I can't say for sure a living blue whale exists as I've never seen one myself, however the evidence for the existence of blue whales is overwhelming and although until I see one and recognise it for what it is I can't say 100% for sure they exist and are alive, I say they are and do as other people (not least among them scientists) have established their presence in the world's oceans.

In the case of evolution, we're near as dammit sure it has and is happening but we are still working to understand the details as it is a very complex process. We are not certain of the mechanisms of evolution but we are pretty sure those mechanisms are there and working right now, on a daily basis. So we can say "evolution is true" because as far as we know it is, and there is no evidence to the contrary; also, we can affect evolution via selective breeding (such as Darwin's pigeons for example) so there is some solid evidence many of us can see.