The Evolution versus Design Test

You have a very good understanding of scientific methodology, and you realize that, given our current understanding, evolution is a perfectly valid scientific theory. Unlike most people, you realize that scientific inferences are by no means absolutely certain and that they rely upon predictive power and falsification as a type of crutch which helps them overcome the Humean problem of induction. You know that science derives its power from its ability to change with newer evidence.

Because of this knowledge of scientific methodology, and your knowledge of the facts in support of evolution, you do not doubt the theory. You know that the predictions of evolution have all been validated. Useless leg and hip bones inside the bodies of whales--combined with the fact that they breathe air, have fins that contain the same bones as a mammalian hand, and have teeth as embryos--prove that whales probably descended from a land mammal that has evolved and become adapted to an aquatic environment. (There are many transitional fossils that show this progression for whales, too.) Indeed, features like this are found in all animals, and no falsification of such predictions for similar structures and vestigial parts has ever been found. Pile on top of that the fact that evolution explains why it is nearly impossible to classify species as pure and distinct, the fact that it explains geological distribution and why island animals closely resemble their cousins on the closest continents, the fact that fossil records show an evolutionary progression of life, and the fact that it coheres with all the other scientific ideas that have arisen since Darwin's time (from microbiology to plate tectonics to genetics) and you've got a good recipe for a successful theory that makes an astounding number of predictions that have never been falsified!

Congratulations, you can consider yourself a true scientist. Now get out there and start correcting the fallacious arguments from incredulity of these damned creationists.

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The other possible categories:

Creationism / Intelligent Design / Social Darwinism

In case you're interested, and you're probably not, you may want to check out my blog for more assaults on religious silliness and defenses of science and right thinking. Here it is, silly gooses: Saint Gasoline

(And yes, I know that the plural of goose is geese. I just like to fuck the system.)