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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2008-11 > 1227904670


From: "Lawrence Mayka" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] TRMCA for R1b1
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:37:50 -0600
In-Reply-To: <ea3bd9560811281206p23edf5f5lf85489417fb4f5fa@mail.gmail.com>


The statement below puts its author beyond the pale of science.

The essence of science is a _testable_ hypothesis--i.e., a hypothesis that
can be either confirmed or refuted by evidence. But the author below makes
clear that he will only accept confirming evidence, a dated sample that is
U152+, but not any refuting evidence, such as the ancient samples that have
already been found to be U152- (and indeed in different haplogroups
entirely).

In other words, he will accept only evidence confirming his hypothesis but
none that refutes it. His hypothesis is therefore not science but religion.

> [mailto:] On Behalf Of David Faux
> I have said it once and I will say it again, nothing except
> seeing a securely dated skeletal sample (such as those from
> the Corded Ware culture in Germany) will convince me of the
> age of U152. When they bring forward a sample that is 6500
> years BP + or - 500 years at least we will know that the
> mutation had occured before that time.


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