Darwinists and Dissenters

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Recommended: contrast evolution vs intelligent design

Did God create the universe or did the universe create itself? Ever since Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was first published in 1859, the debate between those that believe life was brought into existence by supernatural means and those who believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution has been fierce. Each side presents compelling arguments that may sway any uneducated reader to agree with their position based solely on the confidence they portray in their writings. However, because of the vastness and strength of evidence presented by the proponents of modern evolutionary theory, Darwinists have proved their point much greater than those who argue in favor of Intelligent Design. In this essay, four arguments will be presented; two that are pro-Darwin and two which are pro-Intelligent Design. Each of these arguments will be evaluated based on their assumptions, logical structure, and uses of evidence. Having said that, before these arguments can be discussed, the reader must first have a basic grasp on the two main theories, Darwinism and Intelligent Design, which is how this paper will begin.

In order to explain the controversy surrounding Darwin’s theory of evolution, one must first understand the topic itself. In 1859, Charles Darwin published his magnum opus, On the Origin of Species, which shed light on the fact that animals and plants living today have slowly evolved from ancestral creatures through the mean of natural selection. In his book, Darwin defines natural selection as the “preservation of favourable variations and the rejection of injurious variations” (Darwin, 75). He believed that this process was a very long, drawn out one that is invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen after a great deal of time ...

... middle of paper ...

...e in favor of Darwin’s theory of evolution through means of natural selection, it should be noted that this theory is the most scientifically sound position on the origin of life.

Works Cited

Darwin, Charles, and George Lewis Levine. The Origin of Species by Means

of Natural Selection. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2004. Print.

Prindle, David. "Controversy: The Pace of Evolution." , . 24 Feb. 2014.

Lecture.

Prindle, David. "The Modern American Politics of Evolution." , . 9 Apr.

2014. Lecture.

Behe, Michael . "Molecular Machines." WebCOM™ 2.0. Free Press, 1 Sept.

1996. Web. 9 May 2014. .

Coyne, Jerry A.. Why Evolution Is True. New York: Viking, 2009. Print.

Johnson, Phillip E.. Darwin on Trial. 20th anniversary ed., 3rd ed. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Books, 2010. Print.

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