How many Darwinists does it take to

  • Thread starter Thread starter PIT2
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion humorously explores the question of how many Darwinists it takes to screw in a light bulb, using various perspectives to illustrate different interpretations of evolution and scientific reasoning. Key points include the idea that Darwinists would not be involved in the act of screwing in a light bulb, with responses emphasizing the principles of evolution, chance, and natural selection. Notable figures in the conversation, such as Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins, and Stephen J. Gould, provide witty remarks that reflect their scientific philosophies, suggesting that light bulbs, like species, have a natural tendency to reach their optimal state through various processes. The conversation highlights the absurdity of comparing evolutionary theory to the mundane task of changing a light bulb, while also inviting further commentary on the analogy's relevance.
PIT2
Messages
897
Reaction score
2
I thought this was funny :smile:

How many Darwinists does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Charles Darwin: None. But if it could be shown that the bulb entered the socket without a series of clockwise turns, my theory would absolutely break down.

ACLU: None! We have separation of church and state in this country.

Eugenie Scott: None. To say a Darwinist did it is not a scientific explanation.

Panda’s Thumb: None. To say that light bulbs don’t screw themselves in is not a testable proposition. You can’t prove they don’t. That would be an argument from incredulity. You are committing a ‘Darwinist Of The Gaps’ fallacy.

Generic 1: None. Time and chance are sufficient. Eventually it is inevitable that the bulb will be in the socket. Say, in a billion years.

Generic 2: None. The quintessentially non-random process of natural selection is sufficient. Those objects capable of giving off light when screwed into sockets will be in sockets. Those that aren’t will be in the trash.

Richard Dawkins: None. A light bulb that gives off 1% light intensity is very much worth having. A bulb sitting on the shelf at the supermarket gives off a certain amount of light. One in the cupboard at home gives off more. One five feet from the socket gives off more, and one two feet away even more. One in the socket gives off the most of all. It is therefore inevitable that the bulb will reach the socket.

Stephen J. Gould: None. The bulb jumped into the socket when no one was looking. Gradually.

more...


There are more comments on the site.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
That was just lame. :rolleyes:
 
Yes, of course, evolution should certainly be compared with screwing a light bulb in. The analogy makes perfect sense and inevitably leads to meaningful conclusions!

- Warren
 
I don't get it.
 
Similar to the 2024 thread, here I start the 2025 thread. As always it is getting increasingly difficult to predict, so I will make a list based on other article predictions. You can also leave your prediction here. Here are the predictions of 2024 that did not make it: Peter Shor, David Deutsch and all the rest of the quantum computing community (various sources) Pablo Jarrillo Herrero, Allan McDonald and Rafi Bistritzer for magic angle in twisted graphene (various sources) Christoph...
Thread 'My experience as a hostage'
I believe it was the summer of 2001 that I made a trip to Peru for my work. I was a private contractor doing automation engineering and programming for various companies, including Frito Lay. Frito had purchased a snack food plant near Lima, Peru, and sent me down to oversee the upgrades to the systems and the startup. Peru was still suffering the ills of a recent civil war and I knew it was dicey, but the money was too good to pass up. It was a long trip to Lima; about 14 hours of airtime...
Back
Top