It is a fact that God put medicen in plants
The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.
After 3 votes and with 3 points ahead, the winner is...
- Publication date
- Last updated date
- Type
- Standard
- Number of rounds
- 4
- Time for argument
- Three days
- Max argument characters
- 7,000
- Voting period
- One week
- Point system
- Winner selection
- Voting system
- Open
Burden of proof
I have to prove that it requires great intelligence to create the medicine in plants and only god can do it.
Con needs to show that it does not require intelligence to create medicine in plants and this medicine can come naturally via evolution and big bang
To date, 35,000-70,000 plant species have been screened for their medicinal use. Plants especially those with ethnopharmacological uses have been the primary sources of medicine for early drug discovery. Fabricant and Farnsworth, (2001) reported that, 80% of 122 plant derived drugs were related to their original ethnopharmacological purposes.
P1: The development of pharmaceuticals requires intelligenceP2: Some herbs found in nature have pharmaceutical qualitiesC1: Therefore God in intelligent
P1 These scientist claim to spend years researching and developing prescription drugs. and doing research and developing medicine takes knowledge though and intelligence
P2 They did not create it but found it and prescription medication are just bootlegged herbal remedies
P3 They claim to create the drugs with intelligence and knowledge. But in reality they just found the medicine in the plants of the earth. It means someone used intelligence and knowledge to create the medicine and thus the plants of the earth
C1 God is the only one who can use intelligence and thinking to create life.SO he created the plants of the earth. Evolution can not do so
== Neg ==
“P1: The development of pharmaceuticals requires intelligenceP2: Some herbs found in nature have pharmaceutical qualitiesC1: Therefore God in intelligent”
References
turmeric's antioxidants have been found to reverse the effects of damage caused by pharmaceuticals, particularly in the treatment of schizophrenia. Commonly-prescribed antipsychotics often cause involuntary muscle movements and severe behavioral changes
It is noted that evolution occurs, primarily, because of natural selection, genetic drift, mutations and gene flow [5]. Under the framework of ontological naturalism, we would have no inference to believe that the closed laws of our universe (encompassing biology, chemistry and physics) require any external, or divine intervention to exist.
Studies suggest that the earliest plants evolved from a group of single-celled organisms called charophytes in the Middle Ordovician period, around 475 million years ago [1] [2]. This marked the birth of what is now referred to today as “green algae” – usurping its predecessor, the single-celled, photosynthesizing autotroph, through the random, but selective process of evolution. This continued, systematically diversifying and developing into more complex growth forms through evolved means of sexual reproduction [3]. Specifically, the series of evolutionary changes in the reproductive biology of plants in the Late Devonian period allowed plant life to flourish and populate the Earth. This leap is what has led to the development of modern plant life we see today [3]. Thus, it can be seen that scientific research has accurately depicted when plant life first evolved and is verified by extensive a posteriori fossil records, demonstrating the evolutionary chain of events leading to the diverse community of plant life we have today [4].
It is noted that evolution occurs, primarily, because of natural selection, genetic drift, mutations and gene flow [5]. Under the framework of ontological naturalism, we would have no inference to believe that the closed laws of our universe (encompassing biology, chemistry and physics) require any external, or divine intervention to exist. Believing that our natural laws (including phenomenon like abiogenesis and evolution) are innately contingent upon divine creation from a wholly intelligent entity, rather than natural processes of emergence would be unparsimonious. It is far more simplistic and parsimonious to have stock in the position of a metaphysical naturalist, rather than a theist when direct evidence of God hasn’t been demonstrated. Thus, until Pro provides rectitude of God’s objective existence and contribution to modern medicine, it is prudent to prefer naturalism purely on the grounds of Occam’s Razor [6].
Studies suggest that the earliest plants evolved from a group of single-celled organisms called charophytes in the Middle Ordovician period, around 475 million years ago
It is irrational to assert that if something exists and happens to “help humans”, that it was created for the sole purpose to “help humans”
Pro has neither demonstrated why random mutations cannot result in medicinal properties even though it would provide a reasonable explanation why some plants are medicinal and others are toxic
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life
“it would be better if modern medicine was carrot and parsley. turmeric heals a damaged brain. herbs there are no limitations.”
“Sweet Flag roots go up in the brain figures out which part of the brain that deals with stuttering and then fixes it.”
“ con has failed to explain how a plant shows results of intelligence.”
“How can a plant be made specifically for the purpose of man if life was random. It would make sense if god created life would it not. humans are the only ones who can talk and are the only ones who can have stuttering problems. Sweet flag was made for stuttering problems and thus humans”
“when i say that a mutation can not do this i mean a mutation can not do this.”
Why can’t it? According to the fossil evidence I have provided there is a clear lineage of plant life dating over 300 million years. The medicinal properties aren’t mutated with the purpose of helping humans, it was naturally mutated and passed along through natural selection. The properties of medicine found in plants are beneficial to humans as a by-product of evolution, which explains why not all plants are medicinal.
"Human DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created." Bill Gates.
DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome.
Pro argues that with a balanced diet including ‘carrots’ and ‘parsley’ there are simply ‘no limitations’ to the medicinal potential. Neither carrots, nor parsley can cure lung cancer – there are clearly limitations to plants
pigenin, a flavone in parsley, prevents the progression of cancer and halts tumor growth. According to research published in Oncotarget, apigenin inhibited an enzyme, which caused the multiplication of cancer cells. The herb was found especially helpful in preventing prostate, colorectal, and colon cancer. Both, fresh and dried parsley, have high levels of apigenin.
Also, parsley oil extract contains a compound called myristicin, which is a phenylpropane. A preliminary investigation into the effects of myristicin on laboratory rats revealed that it has anti-carcinogenic properties as it counteracts free radicals in the body.
“ con has failed to explain how a plant shows results of intelligence.”
Pro is yet to answer how plants are intelligently designed by God when many plants are toxic to humans. In fact, he answers this briefly at the end of the debate stating that God “cursed the ground” – yet if this were true and plants come from the ground, then the plants that are medicinal are also cursed?
“We’re going to get some DNA damage in our world, no matter how healthy our diets”
Kiwis aren’t powerful medicine. Eating a healthy diet will reduce one’s chances of cancer, but it is dishonest to assert that plants are all-powerful medicine that will remedy one of all ailments.
“How can a mutation/evolution create DNA repair food pls do not ignore this. like everyone else”
I stated the mechanisms of evolution in the first round, but Pro dismissed it as “crud”. Nonetheless, evolution is fundamentally predicated upon natural selection, genetic drift, mutations and gene flow [1]. It seems Pro disputes the veracity of genetic drift and mutations specifically, so I will explain how these mechanisms can certainly produce the properties we find in plants today. From Pro’s source regarding kiwis, it is elucidated that some plants have these medicinal properties due to their high level of antioxidants. The high level of antioxidants in plants could certainly be contingent upon evolution. Genetic drift is the random event where specific alleles (variations in traits) are sampled incorrectly, which can lead to the large genetic changes of a population through the Bottleneck and Flounder Effect [1]. The Bottleneck Effect occurs when a population rapidly diminishes and leads to the eradication of some (random) alleles in the gene pool. This causes the population to become less diverse and more uniform. The Founder Effect occurs when a new population is created by the collection of smaller entities from different populations. Alike the Bottleneck Effect, this results in the diminishment of genetic diversity within the new population. Mutations are the genetic changes in chromosomes and genes – they can be beneficial and detrimental. Specifically, beneficial mutations can lead to the adaptability of a species; if a mutation is beneficial, it is more likely to be passed down and inherited by future generations via natural selection. To tie this all together, the abundance of antioxidants found in plants would have been a beneficial mutation, which was passed down through natural selection and honed specifically to new populations via the Bottleneck Effect and/or the Founder Effect. The need for the abundance of antioxidants in plants is best explained as such:
Intelligent Design
I have demonstrated that the medicinal properties in plants could certainly be caused by evolution, therefore removing the necessity for intelligent design. Moreover, Pro has still not proved God’s existence beyond God of the Gaps.
Conclusion
It has been demonstrated that plants could possess their medicinal qualities via the process of evolution. Pro’s burden is predicated on the existence of God, but he has failed to define what God is and has only provided that He must exist because plants were intelligently created. Pro asked many questions like “how do plants know how to help people?”, but it is not the plant that is helping people as a whole, it is the specific properties found in plants that possess medicinal qualities. The resolution is therefore negated.
Thanks for the debate, Crossed.
References
[1] http://nectunt.bifi.es/to-learn-more-overview/mechanisms-of-evolutionary-change/
[2] https://www.sunsaferx.com/health-and-wellness/antioxidants/
The central premise of pros argument - that God created plants was unsupported. Con went through and repeatedly pointed out that pro has not justified his central claim : as he did not at any point show that the complexity of medicinal plants, or their actions was so extreme that it warranted only a divine creator to make them. Con pointed this out, and it was unanswered by pro, who seemed to feel pointing out examples that supported the first premise of his syllogism would be enough to prove the conclusion. Pro made an immense number of individual points: most falling under two main categories: plants are good, therefore God and evolution can’t happen.
The former as explained are all irrelevant, and the latter seemed wholly undermined by pros evidence.
Con on the other hand did well to justify the inherent evolved nature of plants, and tied back the remainder of arguments to this point: simply pointing con to the evidence to support evolution. Evidence and detail for how we can determine that plants had evolved and pros case appears to simply to be saying evolution can’t happen.
It’s not entirely clear why pro claims evolution can’t happen - it seems to be mainly that plants are too complex (which doesn’t answer cons argument), or that the mutations and genetic damage that pro has argued occurs and can potentially be fixed by some plants, don’t actually occur. In my opinion pro doesn’t do enough to justify this assertion, nor answer any of the detailed proof that con provides.
Thus; we’re faced with pro making an unsupported assertion vs con supporting evolution and the notion that plants evolved with facts: and the facts will win every time. Win to con.
Non sequitur + Argument from ignorance fallacies by Pro
As con pointed out in round 2, pro used a formal fallacy or non sequitur. This is, perhaps, the biggest mistake to make in a debating argument. Assuming their premises are true, those premises make no mention or reason for a god to even exist, so to come to the conclusion a god is responsible for such plant life simply doesn't follow the premises. Pro never again offers premises which include evidence of such a god, or evidence that a god had to create such herbs and plant-life. They then use informal fallacies, such as the bare assertion fallacy as con pointed out, but also uses the appeal to ignorance in round 2, where they ask "how could evolution create a plant like a turmeric with properties that can reverse damage done by schizophrenic medication. The answer is it can not. This would require great intelligence." It fits this fallacy to a tee, given it's about arguing that someone hasn't proved something, therefore the opposite is true. Though con is indicating how it's possible for evolution to have done this even, so in a way it's worse since pro seems to be dismissing con's evidence for evolution creating these plants. Pro accepted the burden of proof in the description. Their arguments, on their own, have proven to be fallacious. Due to BOP rules, con didn't' even technically need to provide evidence to a contrary position, and merely rebut what the opponent had said, but they did provide evidence to a contrary position. Con is a clear winner here for the debate. No matter what evidences pro shows for their premises, it didn't matter given the premises do not even support the conclusion to begin with.
Almost every debate i do. I end up having 1000 characters over the character limit And i end up having to rewrite it.
If you want them to be easier to read, only skip one or two lines. Not twenty. And in one of our recent debates, you skipped around a hundred lines - which makes me think that you're just trying to make your argument look larger.
I thought it makes it easier to read. But maybe its only easier for me
Why does crossed skip twenty lines between each sentence? It makes his arguments unbearable to read.
medicen
I think con has this one - medicen isn’t real