Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

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Wootah
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Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #1

Post by Wootah »

A lot of people are told the truth from an evolutionary perspective that they are insignificant atoms.


Is this a form of gaslighting?

gaslighting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity. Using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction, and lying, it attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim's belief.
Last edited by Wootah on Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #11

Post by Wootah »

[Replying to post 10 by Tcg]

So you are arguing that my original argument is still solid?
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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #12

Post by Tcg »

Wootah wrote: [Replying to post 10 by Tcg]

So you are arguing that my original argument is still solid?

No, I am not. If you review my reply, you'll see that I didn't even mention it.


I addressed you more recent post and explained quite clearly how your description of evolution is flawed. That flaw makes it impossible to compare it to gaslighting.


We'd need an accurate description of evolution in order to make that comparison.





Tcg
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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #13

Post by Wootah »

Tcg wrote:
Wootah wrote:
Evolution is basically telling each person alive today that their ancestors conquered not just for a day or a week but for billions of years if you are alive your generations ate and killed and destroyed the rest.

This doesn't match my understanding of evolution.


If this part of your description of evolution where accurate - "your generations ate and killed and destroyed the rest." - then humans would be the only species of animal left. This quite obviously isn't the case.


You'll need to develop a much better description of evolution before we can evaluate your proposed connection between it and gaslighting. Unless this faulty description is your attempt to provide an example of gaslighting.


Sorry, no MPG from me in either case.




Tcg
It does not logically follow that only humans would be left. Everything that stands alive today is a winner in terms of evolution. Whatever has no generation alive today is part of the losers that lost or as I called them 'the rest'.

Speaking of which, given that a cow is alive today and we are alive today, how can we claim to be more evolved than a cow? This is the gaslighting I mean in the first post. How can a person today claim to be special in any way?
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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #14

Post by Tcg »

Wootah wrote:
It does not logically follow that only humans would be left.

It would be if this statement of yours were true:


"your generations ate and killed and destroyed the rest."

Are you retracting that statement?





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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #15

Post by Wootah »

Tcg wrote:
Wootah wrote:
It does not logically follow that only humans would be left.

It would be if this statement of your were true:


"your generations ate and killed and destroyed the rest."

Are you retracting that statement?





Tcg
Well it's been fun again TCG but I find you very difficult to talk with. I'll let others judge whether I need to retract anything in light of my previous post.
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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #16

Post by Tcg »

Wootah wrote:
Tcg wrote:
Wootah wrote:
It does not logically follow that only humans would be left.

It would be if this statement of your were true:


"your generations ate and killed and destroyed the rest."

Are you retracting that statement?





Tcg
Well it's been fun again TCG but I find you very difficult to talk with. I'll let others judge whether I need to retract anything in light of my previous post.

I thought my point was clear. Until you present a valid description of evolution, no true comparison can be made.


We are at an impasse until that happens.





Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

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- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #17

Post by Kenisaw »

Wootah wrote: A lot of people are told the truth from an evolutionary perspective that they are insignificant atoms.


Is this a form of gaslighting?

gaslighting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity. Using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction, and lying, it attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim's belief.
Since no one said no, I will take up the honors.

No, it isn't gaslighting.

Any one individual of a given population of creatures is, from a statistical point of view, insignificant. That's not a lie, and it's not a contradiction.

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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #18

Post by FWI »

[Replying to post 1 by Wootah]
Wootah wrote:Is evolution 'gaslighting'?


It surely is! But, it's not only evolution, it's pretty much every position "certain individuals" will take that counters the truth…

So, if evolution is true, then why hasn't life reached immortality yet? Darwin's idea of natural selection is paramount to the survival of the species. Since, most scientist estimates that life has existed anywhere from 3.5-4.1 billions of years, you would think that this is plenty of time for life (through mutations) to figure-out how to survive indefinitely…

Thus, if natural selection has limits, then who put the limits in place?

Well, some scientists, who seem to recognize this problem, are now claiming that life does have immortality! However, the immortality is in the genes, not in the host. This, from their perspective, allows natural selection to be the decider of immortality…Thus, for those who didn't pass their genes along (during the path of life), are the victims of natural selection and cannot receive immortality.

Hence, this just shows that no matter what the problems that evolution produces, someone will come along with a perceived solution to the issue and pass it on to others as truth. No matter how ridiculous it may be…The problem, of course, is that many buy into this nonsense, especially when these theories are introduced to impressible minds.

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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #19

Post by Bust Nak »

FWI wrote: So, if evolution is true, then why hasn't life reached immortality yet?
But some of us have...
Thus, if natural selection has limits, then who put the limits in place?
Why presume there has to be a who involved?
Well, some scientists, who seem to recognize this problem, are now claiming that life does have immortality! However, the immortality is in the genes, not in the host.
I'd like more info on what you are referring to here, given that immortality is a thing.
Hence, this just shows that no matter what the problems that evolution produces, someone will come along with a perceived solution to the issue and pass it on to others as truth. No matter how ridiculous it may be…The problem, of course, is that many buy into this nonsense, especially when these theories are introduced to impressible minds.
Lets say we take what you said here for granted, why would any of that imply evolution is gaslighting?

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Re: Is evolution 'gaslighting'?

Post #20

Post by Tcg »

FWI wrote:
Since, most scientist estimates that life has existed anywhere from 3.5-4.1 billions of years, you would think that this is plenty of time for life (through mutations) to figure-out how to survive indefinitely…

Well, 3.5 - 4.1 billion years is a pretty good indefinitely.


Much better than Biblegod's creatures that have only managed 6,000 years or so. That after a complete reboot about 4,000 years ago.


He will of course destroy the world again in the future. Maybe He'll get to 8,000 or even 10,000 years with that experiment. Even slow learners may eventual improve if given enough tries.




Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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