Evolution and humans (Evolution)

by dhw, Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 19:29 (3473 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: You keep stressing “difference in kind”, which means there cannot have been a natural progression from ape to human.***** This does not square with evolution. “Several attempts” is an interesting switch from your usual line of pre-programming and/or dabbling. So do you reckon your God preprogrammed Denisovans and Neanderthals to lose? -*****This was badly phrased by me. I should have written “from apelike common ancestor to human”.-David: Or to compete, and naturally sharpen the wits of the humans in the struggle. Really I have no idea.-I would accept the fact that you have no idea if you were not so firm in your beliefs and so dead set against alternatives. You are always, and in my view quite rightly, ready to challenge these with rational arguments. You very effectively pick on the gaps. But when your own views are challenged, and you are questioned about the gaps - even within a theistic context - you have no idea, or you can't read God's mind. At the risk of trying your patience, let me ask the following, just for clarification:
 
1)	You have stressed over and over again that humans are “different in kind” from all other organisms, including apes, so do you or do you not believe that humans and apes had a common ancestor (= evolution) or that God dabbled (= separate creation)?
2)	Do you believe the other three groups were also “different in kind”?
3)	You see the existence of four groups as “several attempts, with one winning.” I'm intrigued by “attempts”. Please explain: by whom and in order to do what?