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| Theory of Evolution | | == Enkidu == |
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| This is one of the most controversial topics today in the World. It is very controversial because the acceptance of one basically means the denial of the other. It goes further than being controversial in some cases, because it separates reality from Christianity. Accepting the theory of Evolution would mean the theory of creationism is fictional, and accepting the theory of evolution would mean the Bible or Creationism is fictional, which causes a stir in the society today.
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| “The theory of evolution says that life is originated and evolution proceeds by random chance, it is an attempt to describe what is happening, how and why. Theories are often used to explain laws, for example gravity, an apple falling from a tree does not float it drops down because of gravitational pull. We could see how man has evolved overtime and is still evolving. Well, those who reject the theory of evolution are surprising people who are educated in most cases, but ignorant, and deny looking beyond the truth. So what is the truth about Evolution?
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| If nobody had ever developed the theory, it would not change that fact that living things evolve over time evolution happens whether there is a theory or not. Furthermore, Darwin's theory of evolution may be wrong. Even if it was, and Darwin and every biologist who had contributed to the theory since were incorrect, evolution would still exist and continue. Evolution is totally independent of the theory of evolution.
| | [[Enkidu]] begins his literary life as Gilgamesh’s faithful sidekick “Come, woman, and take me to that holy temple, to the house of [[Ana]] and of Ishtar, and to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people” (Gilgamesh). In the most ancient of the stories that compose [[The Epic of Gilgamesh,]] he is a helper to [[Gilgamesh]]. As those legends evolved into chapters of a great epic poem, Enkidu’s role changed profoundly. Much more than a sidekick or a servant, he is Gilgamesh’s soul mate, brother, and equal, even his conscience “Door of the woods, empty of understand power hearing which you do not have”(Gilgamesh, John Gardner & John Maier). In the later stories the gods bring Enkidu into the world to provide a counterpoint to Gilgamesh. Unlike Gilgamesh, who is two-thirds god, Enkidu is fashioned entirely from clay. He begins his life as a wild man, raised by animals, and, crude and unrefined; he remains to a certain extent a sojourner in the civilized world. For example, when Gilgamesh spurns Ishtar, “the goddess of love, with flowery, allusive insults, Enkidu merely hurls a piece of meat in her face” (Gilgamesh). However, Enkidu is also instinctively chivalrous. He takes up arms to protect the shepherds who first give him food, and he travels to Uruk to champion its oppressed people and protect its virgin brides from their uncontrollable king. Ironically, that king is Gilgamesh. Enkidu overcomes him with friendship rather than force and transforms him into the perfect leader. Perhaps Enkidu feels Uruk’s injustices so keenly because he is such a latecomer to civilization. Though Enkidu is bolder than most men, he is also less pious than he should be. He pays dearly for the disrespect he shows to Enlil, the god of earth, wind, and air, when he urges Gilgamesh to slay Enlil’s servant Humbaba, and he incurs the wrath of Ishtar. Like all men, Enkidu bitterly regrets having to die, and he clings fiercely to life. |
| The theory is simply an attempt to explain the observed facts of nature that we call "evolution". If another theory came along to replace the theory of evolution, it would have to explain the facts at least as well as Darwin's theory has done for the last 150 years. No such replacement has ever been produced. If there is a debate or controversy within the scientific community about the theory of evolution, creationists see this as evidence that "evolution is in crisis". It is merely that scientists disagree (often bitterly) over details of the theory of evolution. That evolution actually happens is beyond question, but the theory of evolution is and always should be, like every other scientific theory probed, tested and scrutinized. Again, even if the theory were to collapse, that would still not magically disprove evolution or cause species to cease evolving.
| | == External Links == |
| There are misconceptions about evolution for example;
| | * [http://novaonline.nv.cc.va.us/eli/eng251/gilgameshstudy.htm <i>Gilgamesh</i> Study Guide] |
| Evolution is not about the origins of life on Earth. Evolution is about the development of living things over time. The study of the origins of life is known as "biogenesis".
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| Evolution is often mistakenly compared to "a hurricane blowing through a junkyard and building a fully functional Boeing 747". This is incorrect, as evolution is a very slow, gradual process directed by the actions of natural selection. Mutations may indeed be random events, but whether or not they remain in the gene pool is certainly not random, as it depends on how those genes affect the creature's survival in the environment. It works as a positive feedback loop.
| | * [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000449.shtml Ecological Themes in <i>Gilgamesh</i>] |
| If there is a debate or controversy within the scientific community about the theory of evolution, creationists see this as evidence that "evolution is in crisis". Nonsense - it is merely that scientists disagree (often bitterly) over details of the theory of evolution. That evolution actually happens is beyond question, but the theory of evolution is - and always should be, like every other scientific theory - probed, tested and scrutinized. Again, even if the theory were to collapse, that would still not magically disprove evolution or cause species to cease evolving.
| | [[Category:World Literature]] |
| Work Cited: http://www.talkorigins.org/origins/faqs-evolution.html
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| http://www.atheistalliance.org/library/AB-Evolution_Rsrcs.html | | == Works Cited == |
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| | * “Gilgamesh.” [http://www.auburn.edu/~lundbmc/#Conclusion Conclusion]. 16 February, 2004. |
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| | * Hooker, Richard. “Mesopotamia – Gilagamesh.” World Civilizations. Washington State University. Updated 6, July 1999. Tablets 1, 2, 5. 16 February, 2005. <http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/GILG.HTM> |
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| | * “Gilgamesh.” [ Translated from the sin-leqi-unninni version]. By John Gardner and John Maier. |
| | * ''The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces''. 7th ed., New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998 |