Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
We're overpopulated. Our population doesn't cull out those who are born sick or with disadvantages that would render them entirely incapable of surviving on their own. We would not be able to sustain our current population without modern technologies.
The world is massive..but 2/3rds of it is already uninhabitable because we're not aquatic. The rest of it varies in inhabitablity, but we still would be unable to maintain our current population without modern technology.

I have no problem with this opinion, I just wanted to ask a question regarding our minds.
Would you say our intelligence evolved to the point where our minds give us a great understanding of our reality?
If so, sustaining our current population without modern technologies has no bearing on anything. It's not like next week all doctors will forget how to prescribe penicillan. If our minds evolved naturally, then this is all part of what evolution is actually accomplishing. In the evolution system, we evolved the ability to reason, and try to perfect the environment around us. With this anything would be possible, in the confines of our maximum intelligence. We could figure out a way to live on the moon and other space rocks. We could figure out how to live in the oceans, or under the earth. We could spread across the universe. And as you know, this universe is huge. So we are not even close to being overpopulated. All the families in the world could have a house and a yard and all live together on a landmass the size of Texas.

Originally posted by addygrace
The tailbone is believed to be vestigial, not useless.

How would you have sex? It supports your anus. It also supports many muscles and tendons. It also supports your weight when you're sitting upright.

He probably worded it wrong when he said "useless". The definition for vestigial is:

Vestigiality describes homologous characters of organisms that have seemingly lost all or most of their original function in a species through evolution.

You are quite right about ti supporting muscular structure, but it is a remnant left over from our Primate ancestors

In humans and other tailless primates (e.g. great apes) since Nacholaphitecus (a Miocene hominoid), the coccyx is the remnant of a vestigial tail, but still not entirely useless; it is an important attachment for various muscles, tendons and ligaments — which makes it necessary for physicians and patients to pay special attention to these attachments when considering surgical removal of the coccyx

Originally posted by addygrace
Tonsils are one of the bodies defenses against germs and bacteria.

Indeed, but we can live quite happily without them. I myself had mine taken out when I was 4 and do quite well without them. In fact, I am doing better without them as they got so infected they would cause more harm than good.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
I don't understand this. Cancer exists in everyone from the day we are born, our bodies are designed to fight it off, of course. It's only when we're not able to fight it off (whether because of a poor immune system, or perhaps something triggers it to grow) that it gets too wide-spread, and people die from it. The point here being, that if it were to occur, our bodies are designed to fix it.

All of that aside, you didn't actually address the point, did you? What is cancer? A genetic mutation in a cell causing it to grow uncontrollably. You said genetic mutation was impossible, this was my response.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
Mutations aren't naturally beneficial by any means, else our bodies would accept them.

Some mutations aren't beneficial, but some are. It's purely pot luck when it comes to evolution. For example (I use this example every time) if you had a cactus in a desert that produces some seeds. Within these seeds, some of the genetic material is corrupted and results in the plant that will grow retaining less water. Some other seeds have mutated to hold more water and most will do exactly as their parents do.

Now, if the environment changes to be drier, the ones which hold less water will die out, leaving only the one holding more water remaining. Over time, more changes accumulate and result in more changes to the organism, some may be harmful and others may be beneficial. It entirely depends on the environment the organism is in and random luck. Given enough time, the descendents of these organisms may look entirely different than their ancestors.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
Can you explain why donor patients have to take meds to suppress their immune system when they receive an implant?

Actually, as my brother is one of those people, yes I can, despite it having nothing to do with evolution or genetic mutation. It is the bodies immune system rejecting foreign tissue. You seem to be confusing this with a genetic mutation that occurs prior to conception, which is where evolution happens. Organisms don't evolve while they are alive, their DNA is determined prior to conception, as a result, their body won't reject a mutation because as far as the immune system is concerned, there is nothing to reject.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
I hear this a lot, actually. I may as well come out and clarify EXACTLY where I stand: I'm open to all ideas. I can ACTUALLY believe in some form of Evolution, in fact I think it should be obvious... I just don't think it happens the way most people do. Adaptation is a real thing; but all the "extra" parts they have to tag on to it just make it sound silly.

What "extra parts"? Lay out your stall clearly and then we can see what it is you have a problem with.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
Hell, I even believe the Big Bang happened, in a sense.

"In a sense"? Elaborate. It's hard to engage in constructive debate when your reasoning and position is not clear.