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Evolution, Music, and Creation

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There is just no correcting some people who refuse outright to accept evolution. Today's "Creation Moment" extols the ability of some to make music, and they assert that, were evolution true, there would be no reason to have musical ability. "Even evolutionists appear to be puzzled by this [musical ability development." Well, this is one evolutionist who doesn't stand stunned before the fact of humanity's musical ability.

Obviously the anonymous author of this post (found here: http://www.creationmoments.com/radio/transcripts/musical-memory) has not the least bit of knowledge about evolution in that he ascribes to evolution a kind of forward thinking and planning that it does not have ("they would have no reason to do so"). Evolution is not God, it is not some self-aware entity outside the natural world that chooses and plans. The author later reverts back and seems to be unable to understand why "mindless evolution" would even be able to develop, much less retain, musical ability.

But for those of us who make a habit of feeding the birds, this is no question at all. Why do birds have musical ability? Why do frogs and crickets make their own form of music with their calls? To attract a mate, of course. The same must surely be true of human beings; in regards to sexual selection, musical ability may have been something preferred in the distant past, and those with it had a better chance of passing on their genes. This seems a likely explanation for musical ability, that it too, just like speech and lactose tolerance, could have evolved with no need to invoke the rather small God of the creationists.

One can only conclude that, as usual, their ignorance is willful rather than being a reflection upon the poor state of evolutionary knowledge.
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  1. Isaac BelotOctober 26, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    I'm a musician and I believe you're dead wrong. Music is too complex for just courtship purposes. In fact developing and playing complex music is above the ability of majority of humans.

    A woman would probably discourage a musician from developing further skills and deep music, since it does occupy a lot of his passion. Most women will consider a musician as a non-wealthy alarm signal and stay away.

    Music is a personal thing. A world to enjoy or escape to. An EXTRA capacity and gift from God.

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