The stories of evolutionism are explanations, but what type of explanation?
Explanation as a Way of Knowing
Three kinds of explanations exist.
1. Explanations without going beyond what we observe:
- Technical explanations of gearing or wiring diagrams
- Explaining a certain word in the Bible has a certain meaning in the original Greek language
This explanation describes the observation. Every observer sees the same thing. However, the explanation can also introduce errors. No one is objective. We’re subject to groupthink and peer pressure. Our biases limit our ability to understand.
2. Explanations that show how to do something:
- Assembly instructions for a model airplane
- Safety warnings on a tool
This explanation comes from trying to do something and finding a way that appears to work. Think of a “how-to” video on the Internet. However, the explanation may not show us the best way, and it might not show us an effective way. This explanation can be wrong.
3. Explanations that go beyond anything anyone can observe:
- Explanations about how the Grand Canyon formed
- Explanations about why scientists observe various degrees of redshifts in different galaxies
In this explanation, no one observed the explanation. This explanation can have one of two sources or a mix of the two sources. Sometimes, someone guesses and makes up stories and calls that an explanation. Sometimes, God reveals an explanation.
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