Facts, Consensus and Reality

And now for something completely different. This will be much lighter fare, informative and possibly a bit entertaining.

Two of the fallacies that creationists often encounter when giving evidence that refutes evolution is Appeal to Authority. Sometimes it's spurious (such as believing that atheist evolutionist Richard Dawkins is an expert on biblical creationist theology), sometimes it is valid (such as believing that Dr. Jason Lisle knows about astrophysics). And sometimes it is used instead of bothering to think, such as, "Most scientists believe in evolution, so they must be right". Or worse, appealing to some vague and often inaccurate concept of "consensus", because consensus does not validate truth or science.


When science is performed properly, faulty "scientific" facts fall by the wayside, even if they are believed by "consensus". Evolution should have been relegated to the scrap heap of history a long time ago.

When scientists actually practice real science instead of furthering ideologies, various "facts" and things accepted by consensus have come and gone. Sometimes things are believed for a long time by many people and then they go away.


US CDC
Here is a fun list of things that were believed at one time but have been successfully relegated to the trash of scientific history. Unfortunately, evolution is one of those things like a broken toy that Mom puts out for the dustman, and junior brings the fetid thing back inside for more loving. It should be on the rubbish removal list. Anyway, I hope you like reading "10 Debunked Scientific Beliefs of the Past".