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[Kyuuketsuki]

theories are the HIGHEST form of explanation known to science

oh. What about theories that are so stout they grow into laws? A theory does imply guesswork, that is kind of the point, i thought...

Then this applies as much to you as it does to the creationist/intelligent designist wingnuts:

IDC's frequently claim that the theory of evolution is "only a theory" implying that it is somewhat uncertain in the minds of both public and the science community but nothing could be further from the truth ... there is a very big difference between the word "theory" as it is used in common everyday language and the way in which it is used in science.

A scientific theory implies little in the way of doubt or uncertainty as the word "theory" does when used in common place, every day language ... in science a "theory" is "a system of ideas explaining something, esp. one based on general principles independent of the particular things to be explained (e.g. atomic theory or the theory of evolution); the exposition of the principles of a science etc.; a collection of propositions to illustrate the principles of a subject (e.g. probability theory or the theory of equations)." The Theory of Evolution is an attempt to explain the vast diversity of life and how it has evolved from a single common ancestor and in fact (common use) evolution is the only explanation accepted by the vast majority of the scientific community as explaining the development of the diversity of life around us today. Science is concerned with fact but IDC's, when they use the word "fact", confuse the scientific use of the word with its common usage. A fact implies certainty in common use but in science a fact, except possibly in a mathematical sense, does not imply absolute certainty or absence of doubt … that would be bad science. Facts are those things that science understands to be so and in this sense it is a fact that evolution occurs i.e. evolution is defined as a "change in allele frequency in a population over time."

When IDC's claim "it's just a theory" WRT to major scientific theories they simply demonstrate themselves to be ignorant of science and all it represents!

Aren't you pleased to hold such fine company?

I feel a little put off when I remind you guys that no one was around to witness the beginning of the universe, and so we should be open minded about it's way of happening. And then, somehow, I am an idiot. OK, so you all know without a doubt how the world and universe was formed, up until the silly split second after the theoretical bang. And for me to say that that seems far fetched at best makes me an idiot. Interesting.

You weren't around at your birth ... do you deny that happened? There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out. Yes ... you are!

If you're going to debate with those who do know some science it might be a good idea to learn some!

Kyu