Known options: Choices of how the observed phenomena came into being--
From the challenge:
1. The universe was created by God.
2. The universe always existed.
3. The universe came into being by itself by purely natural processes
(known as evolution) so that no appeal to the supernatural is needed.
Option one should read something like the universe came into existence through means that are thoroughly beyond human comprehension, or somehing similar to this. The original seems to be saying that the christian god is the only supernatural force that could have created the universe. I challenge anyone to prove without any doubt that their religion is the ONLY possible supernatural explanation. Until someone can do this then suggesting that one religion is any truer than any other is simply absurd.
Now, as far as I know, evolution is simply the process of change. To deny the reality of evolution is to claim that since the beginning nothing has changed. The science of evolution is the attempt to figure through reason and physical evidence the specific processes through which this change occurs.
The last thing to note about this challenge is that you must prove the scientific explanation as the only one possible. This is impossible. Once you invoke the supernatural, possibility is limited only by imagination. Being supernatural, these explanations are neither provable or falsifiable.( Note, Robert, that the christian god is merely among limitless supernatural explanations.) In essence, to win the pot, you have to prove, by natural physical evidence that the jewish,christian,moslem god does not exist, that the norse pantheon does not exist, that the greek pantheon does not exist, and so on until you have disproved the inexhaustible supply of supernatural explanations. In other words, don't get your hopes up trying to win that unwinnable money.
None.
