"Believing" and semantics

[TomFoolery]

Recently I got into a discussion about evolution, and I made the comment, "I don't believe in evolution, I just understand and accept it as the most likely model by which humans and all other species came into existence."

Naturally a some commenters took that to mean I was some Bible-thumping idiot who thinks the world is 6,000 years old, no matter how much I tried to better explain my position.

My position is this. Science isn't a religion: it's a process. I accept theories like germ theory, gravity, heliocentrism, the Big Bang theory, and of course, evolution, but I don't believe in them. In my mind, saying you "believe in" something is like saying you find some deep meaning in it or look to it for guidance. It may be splitting hairs, but I'm at the point where I've encountered enough of the faithful to think that it deserves this point of difference. It seems to me that theists think that instead of believing in God, I just believe in evolution, and that's a horribly imprecise way of looking at it. Moreover, if I could somehow be persuaded evolution isn't true, I'll have no choice but to believe in God. And that's fucking stupid.

I believe in the independent observations that led to the theory of evolution, but evolution is a theory: it may change someday. It's doubtful, but it could happen, so I prefer to keep my mind open. For example, if I only had knowledge of 18th century medicine, I could just as easily say "I believe in the validity of bloodletting as a healing process" but we now know that isn't true.

[Baruch]

Yes, but lay people today, as in the days of Hypatia of Alexandria, regard science as a magic cornucopia and pharmacia.  The lay people are in charge then and now, not the technocrats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K268EhXYwyE

In the great convulsions of societies, it is two steps forward, one step back.  As Jesus said, there will be wars and rumors of wars.

[Mike Cl]

My position is this. Science isn't a religion: it's a process. I accept theories like germ theory, gravity, heliocentrism, the Big Bang theory, and of course, evolution, but I don't believe in them.

I agree with this.  I don't believe in evolution.  I accept it or think it is true for it has been put through the scientific process and is a theory.  Which means it has been proven; and means it is still open to testing and refining or even disproof.  A belief does not have to have evidence or proof that it is accurate or true.  So, I don't really 'believe in' anything.  For example, I don't believe the sun will rise tomorrow, but I think it will.  It has a history of millions of years--but if it does not tomorrow, then I will no longer think that it will.   Belief/faith are used to keep the ignorant and blind---ignorant and blind; easier to control that way.