Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Is science a religion?

[Rick Buford <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

 Well, let's just say, 'if your VCR is still blinking 12:00, you don't want Linux'. 



Spurling, Shannon wrote:

>I have a question about this similarity between all living organisms. If
>life evolves, would you not find other sources of genetic material? I
>mean, if simple life formed around a double helix DNA structure, don't
>you think it would be just as likely that life would have formed around
>a different genetic method as well? 
>
Not to be overly simplistic, but why? I would see it as every bit as 
likely that the "first to evolve" or "most evolved" organism would have 
a significant advantage over later iterations. Think MS in their NDA 
heyday...

>And how about finding evidence of a
>different genetic structure evolving from the double helix? Sure they
>might not be as fit, but you would still find some evidence of it
>occurring somewhere. This kind of thing, if it survives at all, would
>stick around at least for a few generations. 
>  
>
Mankind is still finding previously unknown species of --living-- 
critters in heretofore unexplored areas of our own world. I can only 
imagine what we would discover if we had the ability to deep-scan our 
planet Star Trek style...

>The question is not whether you believe if evolution can occur or not,
>but at what level of change it operates at. 
>
A very interesting question, but I'm afraid my two semesters of biology 
and A&P don't qualify me for a good answer. I see this as asking a 
question about facts but putting a "belief" wrapper around it. Part of 
the reason that evolution makes sense to me is that fact that there is 
less "faith" involved. The theory holds true for --most-- observations 
with the occasional evidence void. Creationism, to me, is the exact 
opposite. The theory holds true for --this-- evidence, but leaves gaping 
holes for everything else.

>Can it cause speciation, or
>is it limited to physical characteristics within a species? I tend to
>believe the latter, but that does not mean I have to agree with the
>first. 
>
What is speciation but a radical difference in physical characteristics? 
Many of the base organic functions remain the same or have very similar 
processes whether you have two legs or four...

>We might use digital computers, but the universe rarely behaves
>in a digital manner.  
>  
>
Life as a quantum computer...interesting thought =)

>Shannon Spurling
>WAN Engineer -Specialist
>
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