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Charles Robert Darwin and his theory of evolution
Contrast evolution vs intelligent design
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Over the last 150 years, evolutionary theory has completely refined people’s understanding of changes in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over time, and this theory has now become a unifying concept of the life sciences. In 1859, through his book The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin proposed that organisms evolve over time to adapt to their environment and therefore achieve longevity and success as a species at large. Moreover, Darwin was able to support his theory with significant research, and subsequent studies were able to provide additional backing for evolution. Needless to say, this theory caused great controversy at the time it was proposed, especially among religious groups. Darwin’s theory blatantly disputed other ideas specific to certain religious cultures pertaining to the origins of life, such as intelligent design. This opposition detrimentally delayed acceptance of Darwinism and further scientific research based upon the theory. Despite being universally accepted as fact among the scientific community for decades, the ever-present opposition from pious religious subcultures still calls into question whether evolution should be taught to students in high school biology classes. Darwin’s theory of evolution is backed by extensive data, is accepted science that students, due to academic integrity, have a right to learn and, unlike alternative theories based mostly on theology, is based solely on facts; therefore, evolution should be included in the high school curriculum.
The most obvious reason that evolution should have a place in classrooms is the significant research backing the theory. Darwin’s initiative observations that led to his theory involved various species present throughout the ...
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... in species. Evolution, a fully objective topic, is indeed backed by large quantities of convincing research, and children should be free to have their minds opened to this important law of nature. Darwin actually documented his own doubts in evolution as it was first proposed, but as more data was gathered he began to firmly believe his theory was correct. There is more than enough research to convince people of this scientific truth; all that is needed is more open-mindedness among students and teachers alike. The objective facts supporting Darwinism show that the topic is something that students should have a right to learn. As our knowledge of science evolves, it is clear that evolution will one day be fully accepted. At this point, however, people should work to expedite this acceptance for the advancement of science and the liberation of the minds of students.
Robert Root-Bernstein and Donald L. McEachron, “Teaching Theories: The Evolution-Creation Controversy,” The American Biology Teacher, Vol. 44, No. 7 (Oct…1982). This article, written by Robert Root-Bernstein and Donald L. McEachron sheds light on the controversy of evolution vs creationism in schools and the validity of each being called a scientific theory. The work was created to answer the questions, “Which of these theories is truly scientific and which is a religious belief? Which should be taught in schools?” The article concluded in favor of evolution as a valid scientific theory that should be taught rather than creationism, but also mentioned the worth of understanding the latter.
Charles Darwin, the Father of Evolution, was a British scientist who laid the foundations of the theory of evolution, transforming the thinking of the entire world about the living things around us (Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)). After working on his theory for nearly 20 years, he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. As soon as the book was released, the controversy began with each sides gaining followers until the climax on July 10, 1925. The idea that animals could “evolve” and change into new species, including humans, was one that challenged not only how people thought about the natural world, but challenged the story of the creation from the Bible itself. Even though Darwin himself never said that humans “evolved” from apes, everyone took it as a logical extension of his new theory. It went against the idea of argument for design that had unified theology and science for decades (Moran 5). This new threat to Christianity and the social culture of the time was one that would transform state laws on their educational curriculum.
Evolution and Creationism are both fact and theory but the question is which one should be taught in schools? Only a few school distracts have approved the teaching of evolution because it has more senitific evidence than creationism to prove that it is true. According to a new Gallup poll, just 39% of Americans believe in evolution. The Gallup polls also show that those Americans with higher education believe in the theory of evolution as opposed to those with only high school diplomas. The polls found that 74% Americans with post-graduate degrees believe in evolution theory compared to 21% of Americans with only high school diplomas. The Gallup polls suggest that the belief in the theory of evolution is associated with education. Evolution should be taught in schools because it has more scientific evidence to support it than creationism does. Also, public schools should not teach things that have to do with God, such as creationism, because the Constitution requires the separation of church and state. Finally, if we do not allow schools to teach evolution it would be a form censo...
The “Roaring Twenties” was a time period known for its innovation. Skirts got shorter, teens got bolder, and Prohibition was in full swing. These changes also gave way to a time period full of religious conflict. “In [religious] minds, Prohibition had always been about more than alcohol. It represented an effort to defend traditional American values against the growing influence of an urban, cosmopolitan culture” (Gillon 152). Charles Darwin had published his book, The Evolution of Species, in 1859 and The Descent of Man in 1871, detailing the evolution of man from ape-like creatures. When A Civic Biology, a biology textbook containing information on evolution, was published in 1914, teachers around the country began using it in their courses. By the twenties, these books had sparked all sorts of new ideas regarding the origin of man as well as opposition due to the creature from which he claimed we evolved and to the disagr...
Evolution has been taught in all public schools for as long as many can recall. Though the process of evolution is not the only theory, schools have been teaching it as if it is the complete truth, ignoring other aspects and only focusing and targeting on Darwin's theory of Evolution. However, there are still many other ideas that the students should be informed of as well because all are theories, all are hypothetic. Teaching of the evolution theory have yet to be proven reliable and confirmed by all scientists, thus it should not be taught in schools and should be left for students to wonder and discover by themselves.
Anyone with even a moderate background in science has heard of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Since the publishing of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, Darwin’s ideas have been debated by everyone from scientists to theologians to ordinary lay-people. Today, though there is still severe opposition, evolution is regarded as fact by most of the scientific community and Darwin’s book remains one of the most influential ever written.
Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.
Why do schools teach evolution as fact when, in fact, it is unprovable? Evolution, in many schools, is taught as truth. However, it is only a theory evolution can not be repeatable, therefore, can not be a scientific fact. Carbon-14 has helped anti-evolutionists prove evolutionists wrong. C-14 only lasts about 100,000 years. Students come into play when they are taught evolution, they would not be able to tell what is right and wrong in reality. Therefore, three reasons to not teach evolution would be evolution is not provable, Carbon-14 proves Earth is not millions of years old, and students will not know what is true and what isn’t.
In 1859, Charles Darwin published his groundbreaking Origin of Species, which would introduce the seminal theory of evolution to the scientific community. Over 150 years later, the majority of scientists have come to a consensus in agreement with this theory, citing evidence in newer scientific research. In an average high school biology classroom, one may imagine an instructor that has devoted much of his life to science and a predominantly Christian class of about twenty-five students. On the topic of evolution, one of the students might ask, “Why would God have taken the long route by creating us through billion years of evolution?” while another student may claim “The Book of Genesis clearly says that the earth along with all living creatures was created in just six days, and Biblical dating has proven that the earth is only 6000 years old.” Finally a third student interjects with the remark “maybe the Bible really is just a book, and besides, science has basically already proven that evolution happened, and is continuing to happen as we speak.”
The fact that Abiogenesis is a separate field of study than Evolution should incline creationists to be more amenable to having evolution taught in schools. In fact, this was one of the main arguments of the plaintiffs in the aforementioned Kansas Board of Education hearings used in order to justify the teaching of evolution in the science curriculum. Mr. Irigonegaray stated in his closing statement, “Draft 2 accurately represents science as neutral in respect to the nature of spiritual reality.” (7) This means that science is not on a mission...
18 February 2014 “NSTA Position Statement: The teaching of Evolution”. NSTA.org. -. nd. Web. The Web. The Web.
Creation Vs Evolution “The greatest mystery of existence is existence itself” (Chopra). Chopra, a world-renowned author, perceives the existence of life as a truly mystifying celebration. The pending question that many scientists, and even theists, attempt to answer is how life ultimately began. Currently, the mystery is left with two propositions, evolution and creation. While both approaches attempt to answer the origins of life, evolution and creation are two contrasting concepts.
Zacherl, Danielle. “Biology 171 Evolution and Biodiversity.” National Association of Research in Science Teaching 2007 Annual Meeting, New Orleans LA. (2007):n. page. Print.
Accepted by all reputable scientists, evolution is a major concept in science which has ties to nearly every aspect of biology. Despite this, systematic opposition flourishes across the world, especially in America where “over forty-percent deny any possibility of evolution” (Dawkins, 2009, p.7). The opposition, consisting of teachers, professors, politicians, and many more highly educated individuals, undermine the very status of science in classrooms and across the world. In Richard Dawkins best-selling book, The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, Dawkins attacks the fallacious arguments many creationists believe in and provides fourteen separate pieces of evidence which all lead to one truth: evolution is
Ever since the idea of evolution came about there have been all kinds of debates, including trials, over the subject. When Charles Darwin first thought of his theories he did not know what would come of it. Evolution contradicts religious beliefs, which makes teaching it a touchy subject for some students. However, students can take it if the subject is approached in the right way. Students must learn the sound science behind evolution and realize that religion is different than science. Overwhelming evidence shows that evolution is real and should be taught in all schools.