“o First, the theory must allow us to deduce observational consequences:
consequences that can be clearly and precisely stated.
o Second, there should
be a sense in which the prediction is surprising and unexpected.
o Third, the
prediction should turn out to be true.”
I advanced the (not very well worded) thesis that this reduced to Popper’s concept of corroboration: evidence supports theory-x only if its absence would falsify theory-x. Creationism’s tendency to hedge its bets progressively removes any support it has from the evidence. This post is an attempt to bring more clarity to the thesis.
Starting Point
Let us, first of all, characterise "Creationism" and "Evolutionism":
Creationism: “God created all the species on the planet within six 24 hour days less than 10,000 years ago” we will call this ψ (“psi”)
Evolutionism: “The species evolved from a small number of common ancestors by means of evolution over a period in excess of 4 billion years”. We will call this φ (“phi”)
ψ entails certain things, it means certain things. If we were to give the full meaning of ψ we would list out an infinite number of things that result from the truth of ψ. ψ means ‘A and B and C and D….’. Using a full-stop for “and”, an arrow → for “means” gets us to ‘ψ→A.B.C.D.E.F….’. For the purposes of this illustration I shall truncate the meaning to just the first four propositions entailed:
1. ψ→A.B.C.D (psi means A and B and C and D)
If one of these (A, B , C or D) is incorrect then, in that respect ψ is incorrect. If one of these is correct then, in that respect ψ is correct. I shall characterise the meaning of φ as follows:
2. φ→G.H.I.J (phi means G and H and I and J )
Possible Changes
If the adherent to ψ subsequently finds out, say, ¬A (‘not A’) he has four options:
Drop the belief in ψ:
3. ¬ ψ (not ψ)
Drop the entailment of A by ψ:
4. ψ→B.C.D (ψ means, just, B and C and D)
Add additional possible outcomes (with “v” as “or”):
5. ψ→(AvL).B.C.D (ψ means “A or L” and B and C and D)
Replace the entailment of A with the entailment of something else:
6. ψ→L.B.C.D (ψ means L and B and C and D)
If more negative evidence is found the same choices are open.
At the limit (all entailments appear negative) we get to:
3*. ¬ ψ
4*. ψ→ (ψ means nothing)
5*. ψ→(AvL).(BvM).(CvN).(DvO)
6*. ψ→L.M.N.O
(Notice that in 4,5,6,4*,5* and 6* the meaning of ψ changes. None of “A.B.C.D”, “B.C.D”, “(AvL).B.C.D”, “L.B.C.D”, “ ”, “(AvL).(BvM).(CvN).(DvO)” or “L.M.N.O” are identical.)
Following the strategy in 3 and 3* the adherents of ψ stop being adherents of ψ. Following the strategy in 4 and 4* the adherents of ψ remove all meaning from ψ.
What of the situation in 5*: (AvL).(BvM).(CvN).(DvO)? Well “L” most decidedly is not “A”, we got to “L” from our evidence “¬A”. We got to “M” from our evidence “¬B” and so on. ¬A.¬B.¬C.¬D together with (AvL).(BvM).(CvN).(DvO) entail:
7. (Av¬A).(Bv¬B).(Cv¬C).(Dv¬D).
Each of those disjunctive pairs entails nothing, thus, means nothing and can be discounted. However ψ does say something, we also added entailments to the meaning of ψ. In full what we have is:
8. ψ→(Av¬AvL).(Bv¬BvM).(Cv¬CvN).(Dv¬DvO)
Again each of the meaningless disjunctive pairs can be discounted, with the result:
9. ψ→L.M.N.O
This is the same as the result of following the strategy in 6 and 6*.
Evidence
We may be able to check whether A or ¬A holds. If so then A or ¬A, whichever does hold, can count as evidence. If there are entailments of ψ that we are unable to check up on, say B and ¬B, these may still form part of the meaning of ψ but cannot be either evidence for or against ψ (or indeed evidence for or against any proposition).
Let now expand our conception of ψ a little. We shall say that ψ means:
a) Evidential statements L, M, N and O
b) Non-evidential statements P, Q, and R
10. ψ→L.M.N.O.P.Q.R
Bring Evolutionism Back Into Things
Of course whilst all this adaption of ψ has been going on the evolutionists have been up to the same tricks, φ has been revised as well. Let’s say:
11. φ →L.M.N.O.S.T.U
With S, T and U being non-evidential statements.
We can notice two things:
a) Neither proposition can be proven. Proving ψ requires ascertaining P, Q and R the truth of which we cannot ascertain. Proving φ requires ascertaining S, T and U the truth of which we cannot ascertain.
b) The totality of their evidential statements, (L, M, N and O), are exactly the same.
For the purposes of assessing the evidence we may drop the non-evidential statements from our definitions:
12. Evidentially, ψ→L.M.N.O and
13. Evidentially, φ→L.M.N.O
Evidentially speaking ψ and φ are the same proposition.
In this situation our choice between the two propositions cannot be based on evidence. Assuming:
- The above definitions are complete definitions of ψ and φ
- ψ and φ are the only propositions under consideration
- L, M, N and O hold true
Then based on the evidence we must adopt either ψ or φ. The evidence supports “either ψ or φ”.
L, M, N and O do not prove either proposition
L, M, N and O are evidence for the propositions because they force us to accept part of what they mean
L, M, N and O are no evidence at all for “P and Q and R” or “S and T and U”, there is no “force” to accept either of them.
A Difference
Right, let’s bring in a number of ways in which ψ and φ can be different:
14. ψ→L.M.N , φ→L.M.N.O
15. ψ→L.M.N.(Ov¬O) , φ→L.M.N.O
16. ψ→L.M.N.¬O , φ→L.M.N.O
In situation 14. “L.M.N” can be taken to be evidence for either ψ or φ it gives no indication as to which one to adopt. “O”, on the other hand is evidence for φ. It forces us to accept at least part of φ. It is not evidence for ψ, it does not force us to accept any of ψ.
In situation 15. we can rewrite “(Ov¬O)” as a blank “” bringing us back to the situation in 1. “O” is evidence for φ but not for ψ.
In situation 16. “O” is evidence for φ and evidence against ψ. Where O to hold ψ would have to be revised either to:
16.a ψ→L.M.N
16.b ψ→L.M.N.O
And we would be back to either 14. or the propositions would be evidentially similar.
Notice that O to be evidence for ψ we have to be able to write out ψ→O without adding ¬O. If we ascertain ¬O having stated ψ→O then we have to revise ψ. If we are in a situation where we do not have to revise ψ after ascertaining ¬O then we must either have started with
17. ψ→¬O or
18. ψ→(Ov¬O)
In neither situation is O evidence for ψ.
O is evidence for ψ if and only if ¬O forces a revision in ψ
The Fossil Record
Evolutionism makes some predictions about the fossil record. Not very precise ones and not very many, but some. For example evolutionism never says “There will be a fossil right there”, “FRT”. If we do not find an FRT we do not revise evolutionary theory. Thus evolutionary theory, φ, predicts “either there will be an FRT or there won’t be an FRT” or φ→(FRTv¬FRT).
Evolutionism does not say that there will be lots of fossils (LOF), that they will contain certain types of fossil (CTF) etc etc.
19. φ→(FRTv¬FRT).(LOFv¬LOF).(CTFv¬CTF), which cancels down to φ→
To have any meaning for evolutionary theory in the fossil record we have to find something that would force a revision in evolutionary theory. What could that be? One reply is “A rabbit fossil in the in the pre-cambrian”. Not much of a prediction but it is a predicition. Evolutionary theory means we do have a Rabbit Free Pre-Cambrian Type Fossil Record (RFPC).
21. φ→RFPC
RFPC is evidence for Evolutionism
And Creationism? Well RFPC is consistent with creationism. ¬RFPC is also consistent with Creationism. It does not say either way. So:
20. ψ→(RFPCv¬RFPC)
Which cancels down to ψ→.
RFPC is not evidence for Creationism
Surprise!
Let us say that both ψ→O and φ→O. O is evidence for ψ and φ. O is either evidence equally for ψ and φ or is not evidence at all for at least one of them. Very crudely, if ψ and φ were the only two propositions that →O, O would support them both 50%.
Let us add a third, χ (“chi”). χ→O. There are now three propositions ψ, φ and χ for which O is evidence. Very crudely again, O supports them 331/3% each. Add another, ω (“omega”) and the crude measure of evidential support becomes 25%.
Lets add a fifth, κ (“kappa”) but say that κ→(Ov¬O). We know that ¬O does not force a revision in κ, so O is not evidence for κ. There remain just the four theories that →O and so each remains supported 25% by O.
We could go on through the Greek alphabet and beyond but I think we have demonstrated the point.
The existence of support of ψ by O depends upon whether ¬O forces a revision in ψ. The amount of support of ψ by O depends upon the number of other theories where ¬O also forces a revision.
Now supposing we had ψ, φ, χ and κ all equally likely. How likely are we to have O? Well, ψ, φ and χ all firmly predict O if ψ, φ or χ are true then O is definite. If κ is true then we have no idea either way, 50%. The total likelihood of O is [(3x100%) + (50%)]/400% = 87.5%
Now suppose that φ, χ and κ do not predict O either way. The total likelihood of O is now [100% + (3x50%)]/400% = 62.5%
Suppose that φ, χ and κ predict ¬O. If they were true the likelihood of O would be zero. The total likelihood of O would be [100% + (3x0%)]/400% = 25%
As the number of rival theories not predicting O or firmly predicting ¬O increases the likelihood of O decreases. The term “surprising” springs to mind. As the number of rival theories not predicting O or firmly predicting ¬O increases the amount of support by O increases.
“Surprising” = exclusivity of firm prediction = amount of support
Now…
The situation right now is that there are bundles of evidence for evolution. Much of this is compatible with Creationism (Creationism has been changed to fit it) but is not a firm prediction of Creationism. Creationism does not say “if Creationism then Evidence”, it says “if Creationism then the Evidence or Not the Evidence”.
Much of the evidence for Evolutionism is surprising. We would not expect it if Evolutionism were not as it is. The apparent fusing of two ape chromosomes to produce one human chromosome is not just surprising it is, frankly, flabbergasting. (Have your flabber-gasted at this link)
Creationism on the other hand presents no evidence what-so-ever that is not also evidence of Evolution. There is nothing that forces a revision of Creationism that would not also force a revision of Evolutionism.
If Author thinks there is any evidence for Creationism he is welcome to put it forward. Just make sure that:
21. Creationism would have to be revised if it were to be false
22. Godless-communist-fag-Evolutionism would not also have to be revised were it to be false.