(May 26, 2021 at 7:27 pm)HappySkeptic Wrote: Evolutionary Theory is not Physics, but organic chemistry is based on physics (though good luck trying to derive chemistry entirely from physics -- even supercomputers can't solve the quantum mechanics from first principles).
For a primer on Evolutionary Theory, I suggest Richard Dawkins' "The Greatest Show on Earth". I also liked his "The Selfish Gene", though it is a bit outdated now. When I first read that in my 20s as a Christian, it rocked my world.
I could not get past the Preface.
All the nuts and bolts of that book confused me. But, Dawkins in his Preface knocked Plato down a couple notches for me. Prior to reading that book, I would have killed anyone (metaphorically) if they picked on Plato. But, and looking back on it now, Dawkins was right in his criticism of Plato. Plato got a lot right, like his value of questioning in works like "Apology" and "The Allegory Of The Cave".
But, if I am remembering correctly about Dawkins Preface for "The Greatest Show On Earth", Dawkins places blame on basically modern religious tribalism on Plato's idea of "essence". According to Dawkins Plato believed that if you simply thought about something long enough you could come to its "essence". I took that to mean the "perfect version", of whatever. If I am remembering correctly, Dawkins blames Plato for that strive for perfection which he claims went on to infect philosophy, religion and political thought.
