Re: Exploding Evidence of God's Hand?

Jim Foley (jimf@vangelis.ncrmicro.ncr.com)
Tue, 26 Sep 95 13:21:34 MDT

>>>>> On 23 Sep 95 14:50:15 EDT, Jim Bell <70672.1241@compuserve.com> said:

>> Says Jim Foley:

>> <<If you are saying that *mentally* modern humans appeared suddenly (by
>> an act of God), fine. I don't think any physical evidence could
>> contradict that position.>>

>> I agree with you. And the *mental* aspect was a quantum leap
>> forward. An explosion, sudden. Frustrating to the naturalist
>> view.

News to me. I don't find it frustrating, and don't even see why I
should. I consider it a cultural transition, like, say, the
Renaissance.

Jim, you said earlier that you thought my claim that this transition
probably took 1000's of years was "unreasonable". Why? I agree we
can't *prove* that it was naturalistic, but we similarly can't prove
that it wasn't.

>> << The boundaries between these are somewhat
>> arbitrary; modern man appears gradually, not suddenly.>>

>> That's the traditional, naturalistic view. But more recent molecular
>> evidence may provide the better evidence (paleontolgists admit
>> getting things mixed up all the time, and for good reason. There is
>> much that is speculative, even imaginative).

You're right about the "speculative" and "imaginative". But I didn't
know that molecular evidence has shed any light how gradually or
suddenly modern man appears. Any details? (The "Mitochondrial Eve"
studies are talking about earlier times).

-- Jim Foley                             Symbios Logic, Fort CollinsJim.Foley@symbios.com                        (303) 223-5100 x9765

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