Even if a religious believer accepts the validity of evolution, evolution still does not answer how life started. Therefore, God is necessary to explain the creation of life.
SmartLX
This is an argument from ignorance, the general form of which is, “X is the explanation because I don’t know of any others and can’t think of any others.” It is a logical fallacy and, once identified as such, really isn’t an argument at all.
It was possible even before Darwin’s theory to imagine ways in which life could have developed naturally from simple forms. (That’s exactly what Darwin himself had to do.) Similarly, it’s possible now to imagine ways in which life resulted from a chemical process involving inorganic matter. Hypotheses of abiogenesis mechanisms are plentiful, and research continues.
When I don’t know how something happened, I don’t assume it’s impossible and therefore magic. I assume it’s possible because it has happened, and I work to find out how.
Seshat
Once you say “God did it,” you have closed the door on finding an answer. Science says, “We don’t know” and keeps looking for an answer based on evidence.
Faith is happy leaving the question unanswered, essentially slamming the door on the possibility of discovering new knowledge. Science wants to open the door and find the answer, expanding our understanding of our world and our universe.
Though science may not find the answer in our lifetimes or even ever, that possibility does not mean scientists should stop looking for answers. If they did, then scientists will certainly not find any answers.
jonecc
www
The reason why we don’t know in detail how life began is that there are many plausible theories, and it is not currently possible to choose between them. It is not necessary to invoke a creator just because we have more than one theory which accounts for the facts without one.
Homo economicus
www
There is nothing wrong with saying “I don’t know exactly, but we’re working on it”.
The problem with saying “God did it” is that it does not answer the question. Rather it begs the question where did this ultimate complex entity come from? Who did God? What do you mean by God? How do you know this God? The answers are in the mind of the holder, and require faith – that is unacceptable to atheists who demand reason, logic or evidence to make the case.
A “God of the Gaps” in our knowledge argument hold less water as ignorance of the world shrinks. Wishful thinking is not the same as knowing how the universe is – this our species has the good fortune to try and work out.
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