Refutation of Molecular Collapse of Evolution

6:36

4 Jun 2010

Evolution

This video blog (vlog), originally uploaded by “TheIslammiracle” (a name intended to be sarcastic) goes through parts of a Harun Yahya group video, pointing out problems with the science and logic with interspersed pages of text.  (The video blogger him- or herself does not appear or speak in the video.)  The vlogger’s critiques begin by suggesting that abiogenesis — how life began — has “nothing to do with” evolution. (0:25)  S/he then addresses how the speaker has created a strawman argument, because she speaks about modern cells as if they were the same as primitive cells.

The video which the vlogger is debunking is evaluated here. 

At several points in the argument, the vlogger suggests that the argument presented by the unnamed woman presenting the Harun Yahya viewpoint is a “strawman”.  More on what a strawman fallacy is and how to avoid it may be found here. 

Evaluation:

These scores are for the interspersed text in the video, not the Harun Yahya video itself.

The vlogger’s representations of Islam and Muslims are frequently pejorative, stating that arguments are “lies”, for instance.  Since we know nothing of the motives of the original speaker, as scientists we must assume she is mistaken or has misunderstood the material, rather than suggesting she understood and chose to misrepresent it.  “The only people claiming sudden emergence happens is Islam” [sic., should be Muslims]. (0:51)  This is actually a common misrepresentation of the origin of life and has nothing to do with Islam per se.

Although most of the science presented here by the vlogger is correct, it is often couched in pejorative language.

There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.