In recent years, the political and religious movement that sought to integrate theories competing with the theory of evolution into the curriculum of various schools in the US. The theory that was offered was the theory of “intelligent design”, which even though not explicitly religious, makes for a theory much more compatible with religion than evolution. The danger of this move was that it was trying to dismiss a legitimate scientific theory as just one among the existing theories – an equal rival in pursuit of true explanation. However, what the advocates of this measure were actually doing is to equate scientific theory with a vastly inferior narrative about the world. It was, therefore, necessary for an author like Coyne (2009) to write a book titled Why Is Evolution True? To show what exactly is meant by the term of a scientific theory and when we can say that something is actually true. The theory of evolution is precisely that kind of theory because it has been confirmed in every situation in which its predictions were tested and the evidence for it lies in the fossil record, comparative anatomy, embryology, molecular biology and biogeography.
The theory of evolution is quite sophisticated scientific theory that has received a lot of misinterpretation and distortion. However, it can be explained very simply by integrating several important concepts into one definition. Coyne (2009, p. 3) sums up the entire theory in one sentence, “Life on Earth evolved gradually beginning with one primitive species—perhaps a selfreplicating molecule—that lived more than 3.5 billion years ago; it then branched out over time, throwing off many new and diverse species; and the mechanism for most (but not all) of evolutionary change is natural...
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...ution is the correct way to explain the facts of life in the world. For these reasons, the theory of evolution is a prime example of advanced scientific theory that can by no means be equated with pseudoscientific claims that serve nothing but various forms of propaganda.
Works Cited
Coyne, J. A. (2009). Why evolution is true. Oxford [etc.: Oxford University Press.
Darwin, C. (1999). The origin of species by means of natural selection. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg.
Dobzhansky, T. (1973). Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. American Biology Teacher, 35, 125-129.
Kollar, E. J., & Fisher, C. (1980). Tooth induction in chick epithelium: expression of quiescent genes for enamel synthesis. Science, 207(4434), 993-995.
Theißen, G. (2009). Saltational evolution: hopeful monsters are here to stay. Theory in Biosciences, 128(1), 43-51.
Zhao, Buyun. "Charles Darwin & Evolution." Charles Darwin & Evolution. Christ's College, 2009. Web. 04 May 2014.
The law, on the other hand, had a different idea about these other theories with numerous bans from schools, claiming them to be against the Second Amendment. Despite the bitter debate of whether or not it is valid and right to teach (primarily alone) the theory of evolution lies as being the most reliable and accurate way to teach how the modern world came to be. Science is purely a study of what can be seen and tested in the world. That concept is shown in the following quote: “Science is the method of testing natural explanations for natural explanations for natural objects and events. Phenomenon that can be observed are amiable to scientific investigation” (“NSTA.”).
Bowler, Peter J. Evolution: The History of an Idea. London: University of California Press, 1989.
Evolution is deemed as being scientific because it is testable and correctable, unlike creationism which deals with “God’s will,” an unchanging and set in stone philosophy that contradicts any scientific notion it attempts to deliver. Evolution is the scientific explanation to how organisms developed the forms and functions
Darwin: A Norton Critical Edition, Second Edition ; ed. by Philip Appleman; copyright 1979, 1970 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
What is evolution? Evolution in modern terms is fairly easy to understand. Evolution is the theory that life on earth began with a single celled organism that lived more that 3.5 billion years ago that slowly evolved into many diverse creatures over time. When you break down this theory into sections you get 6 factors: evolution, gradualism, speciation, common ancestry, natural selection and nonselective mechanisms of evolutionary change.
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.
Lennox, James. "Darwinism." Stanford University. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 Edition). , 13 Aug. 2004. Web. 12 May 2014.
Work Cited Colby, Chris. A. Web. " An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology." 28 August 2015.
A lot of people, Christians and non-Christians alike often question the accuracy of the theory of evolution. Those who express doubts about the theory are often labelled “unscientific” or “backwards” by some in the pro-evolution camp. At times, the popular perception of evolution seems to be that it has been proven beyond all doubt and there are no scientific obstacles left for it. In fact, there are quite a few scientific flaws in the theory that provide many reasons for it to be doubted. It is true though, none of these questions necessarily disproves evolution, but they do show how the theory is less than settled.
One Long Argument: Charles Darwin and the Genesis or Modern Evolutionary Thought. Ernst Mayr. Harvard University Press, 1993.
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.”
Darwin, Charles. From The Origin of Species. New York: P.F. Collier and Son Corporation, 1937. 71-86; 497-506.
The evolutionary theory is the concept that species evolve over time through the mechanism of natural selection of survival and reproduction. Natural selection means acting on the assumption that various living organisms were produced by genetic diversity and mutation. The evolution theory may also be referred to as the philosophizing science. This theory states that all phenomena are derived from natural causes and can be explained by scientific laws without reference to a plan or purpose.
Evolution is a systematic mechanism through which the modern day has evolved from his ancestors. The Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is based on the premise that we all