Evolution

1
Evolution A Discussion
2
Evolution Basic Tenets

• All living things have evolved over time
• Central organizing principle of modern biology
• Nature selects the traits that enhance the
  ability of organisms to survive and reproduce
• Humans have created artificial selection
• Domestic animals - Plants
• Food (seedless grapes, small oranges)
• Industry development of corn stalks
  into ethanol

3
Evolution Theory or Fact?

• Theory
• Everyday usage hunch or speculation?
• Science comprehensive explanation supported by
  vast body of knowledge
• Heliocentric earth around sun, no new evidence
• Evolution
• Supported by many observations experiments
• Scientific confidence that will not be overturned
• Still subject to continuing reinforcement as new
  science emerges

4
Evolution - Misconceptions

• Man descended from apes FALSE they are our
  closest relatives (came from common ancestors but
  are not the same
• Is just a theory FALSE - evolution is a guiding
  light and is accepted as fact
• Evolution is no longer occurring today FALSE -
  insects are becoming resistant
  to repellants, viruses
  are constantly changing

5
Evolution - Why the Controversy?

• Creationists
• Reject natural scientific explanations in favor
  of special creation by a supernatural entity
• Not the same as belief in God many religions
  (Catholic Church, etc.) accept evolution
• Such appeals to the supernatural are not testable
  using the rules and precepts of science inquiry
• Three precepts of Creationism
• Earth is 10,00 years old
• All life forms are created by God
• Disrupted surfaces and distribution of
  fossils caused by great
  flood

6
Intelligent Design

• Biological structures are so complex becomes
  something called irreducible complexity
• Probability of all components being produced
  through random process of natural mutation are
  infinitesimally small
• Must be attributed to a transcendent intelligent
  design

7
Court Decisions

• 1. 1925 Tennessee (Scopes Monkey
  Trial) forbade teaching of any theory that
  denies the story of creationism
• 2. 1968 Arkansas US Supreme Court
  invalidated Ark. Law that prohibited the teaching
  of evolution
• 3. 1981 California ruled that discussion of
  evolution did not prohibit students right to
  free exercise of religion. Evolution presented
  as conditional, not dogma.

8
Court Decisions (cont. - 2)

• 4. 1982 Arkansas federal court ruled that
  balanced treatment violates law. Creation
  science vs. Evolution science Creation
  science ruled as not, in fact, science. However,
  does not rule in or out the presence of a
  creator.
• 5. 1987 Louisiana Supreme Court struck down
  Louisiana law which required evolution and
  creationism to both be taught. Court stated
  that teaching creation science, state
  was endorsing religion.

9
Court Decisions (cont. 3)

• 6. 2005 - Pennsylvania District Court ruled
  that Intelligent Design is not science it is
  not accepted science in that it did not involved
  research and testing and was not peer reviewed.
  ID is grounded in theology, not science.
• Bottom line courts support teaching of
  evolution but not creationism as an alternative.
  (Creationism can be taught as part
  of a religion class.)

10
How to Stay out of Trouble

• Admit that there is a controversy
• Teachers teach science not religion/philosophy
• Acknowledge parents points of view
• Teach the following (We are K-5)
• Teach about change over time
• Avoid talk about humans - talk about
  animals
• Use statement, This is what scientists say.
• All species primed to reproduce and survive
• Every species reproduces and can overpopulate
• Limited food supply animals compete for food
• Most religious groups agree there have been
  changes over time