So you think god created the animals without evolution, roughly as described in genesis. [Spirituality & Religion]

@rayoflight Of course, that explains nothing about abiogenesis... it just explains everything away ('goddit'). Worse, it introduces the need for a magical entity that is more complex than the life it is postulated to have created, and adds the further complication that it then needs to explain where the magical entity came from.

@newjaninev2 Hogwarts? Duh

@rayoflight [quote]maybe God created the first life[/quote]

It was [i]your[/i] suggestion

@newjaninev2 Key word...maybe.

Please don't overthink it and have me drawn and quartered for throwing out a possibility. ;)

@rayoflight I have no desire to see you hanged, drawn, and quartered.

On the other hand, the possibility (which is separate from you personally) can be assessed in terms of [i]probability...[/i] which is what I did.

@newjaninev2 You failed the statistics part of your Math course didn't you? ;)

@rayoflight Why do you say that?

@newjaninev2 Because possible and probable are not the same my dear.

@rayoflight Yes, exactly... you suggested something as a possibility, and in assessing the merits of your suggestion, it's helpful to assess the probability of your suggestion being correct.

(There would be little point in assessing the possibility of the possibility)

As we see, it's highly improbable (and also explanatory of nothing), so we can therefore set it aside... for now at least... in favour of other more probable possibilities.

@newjaninev2 My statistics lecturer would have had a field day with you! lol

It's summer here. The weather forecast says it will not rain tomorrow, the synoptic chart shows a large area of high pressure lying across this region, and this evening, looking out my window, the sky is clear of cloud, and there's no wind.

It's possible that it might rain tomorrow.

Should I take a raincoat and an umbrella with me in the morning?

@rayoflight and how would she have gone about that?

Given that your statistics lecturer isn't here, perhaps you'd be so good as to stand in for her.

@newjaninev2 Probable is a subset of possible. It's up to the actuaries to decide on the likelihood. I'll bat in my crease thank you ;)

@rayoflight Yes, we've already established that they're not the same thing.

Your point being..?

@newjaninev2 That you are inferring too much into my statement.

@rayoflight I have no idea what that's supposed to mean.

You suggested a possibility.
I examined that possibility in terms of its probability. We see that it's improbable, so can put it aside unless and until it becomes more probable than other possibilities.

What have I inferred?

Ever bought a lottery ticket?

@rayoflight Actually, no, but go ahead anyway...

Hugs you!

@rayoflight Thank you. So..?

Can't we end this with a hug?

@rayoflight What are we ending?

I'm waiting for you to demonstrate how your statistics lecturer would have 'had a field day' with me.
To repeat... you suggested a possibility, and I examined that possibility in terms of its probability. We see that it's improbable, so can put it aside unless and until it becomes more probable than other possibilities.

You still haven't detailed your objections to that, nor have you explained what it is that I am supposed to have inferred.

No?