Definitions (Evolution)

by George Jelliss , Crewe, Monday, March 31, 2008, 17:38 (5862 days ago) @ dhw

dhw maintains that he did not ask for definitions, but he did write: - It's become clear on this forum alone that there is a great deal of confusion over what constitutes Darwinism, evolution and natural selection, and to what extent atheism is based on faith in chance. - OK, this is not an explicit question, only implicit, but I thought an answer in the form of definitions of the confusing terms was what was needed. The responses to my definitions do seem to have brought out some clear differences of approach, and explains some cross-purposes. - For instance, whitecraw describes Science in terms I cannot subscribe to: - To qualify as knowledge, a practice, theory or statement must conform to the quality standards laid down by the knowledge community into which that practice, theory or statement seeks acceptance. These standards are established by the knowledge community's 'ruling paradigm', perpetuated through the educational and training régimes by which new practitioners are inducted into the community, and upheld by the community's judicial tribunals. - As far as I am concerned there is only one "knowledge community" that of human beings, and the quality standards to be observed are those of the most rigorous kind. There are undoubtedly communities of various kinds (Creationists, Rosicrucians and Conspiracy Theorists, come to mind) whose standards are less than the best. Are these the sorts of communities whitecraw has in mind?