Science, Evolution, and Creationism

Last updated
Science, Evolution, and Creationism
Publisher United States National Academy of Sciences
Publication date
January 3, 2008

Science, Evolution, and Creationism [1] is a publication by the United States National Academy of Sciences. The book's authors intended to provide a current and comprehensive explanation of evolution and "its importance in the science classroom". [2] It was "intended for use by scientists, teachers, parents, and school board members who wanted to engage in more constructive conversations with others who remain uncertain about evolution and its place in the public school curriculum." [3] The book, published on January 3, 2008, is available as a free PDF file on the National Academies Press website. [4]

Contents

Science, Evolution, and Creationism differs from prior National Academy of Sciences publications regarding creation and evolution in public education and the creation–evolution controversy; it is intended "specifically for the lay public", devoting much of its space to "explaining the differences between science and religion, and asserting that acceptance of evolution does not require abandoning belief in God." [5] [6] The book provides statements from notable biologists and clergy members to support the claim that "attempts to pit science and religion against each other create controversy where none needs to exist." [6]

The authors of Science, Evolution, and Creationism, who include Francisco J. Ayala and Bruce Alberts, highlight developments in evolutionary biology and its relevance to the study of emerging infectious diseases, the 2006 discovery of the transitional fossil Tiktaalik , and the application of evolutionary theory in many areas of science and engineering beyond biology. [7]

The book was released as several states, particularly Texas and Florida, considered revisions in state science standards. [8]

A study at Arizona State University used the book as part of a two-week module, within an introductory biology course, focusing on science, evolution, and religion. The percentage of students who held the view that there was a conflict between religion and evolution was reduced by about half. [3]

Critical response

In an interview on NBC, Glenn Branch, deputy director of the National Center for Science Education, called the publication "a definitive statement from a leading scientific authority about the scientific bankruptcy of intelligent design creationism." [9]

Praise for the publication was received from Lawrence Krauss [10] and editorials in Nature , [11] New Scientist , [12] and several newspapers. [9]

Related Research Articles

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Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth, life, and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation. In its broadest sense, creationism includes a continuum of religious views, which vary in their acceptance or rejection of scientific explanations such as evolution that describe the origin and development of natural phenomena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creation science</span> Pseudoscientific form of Young Earth creationism

Creation science or scientific creationism is a pseudoscientific form of Young Earth creationism which claims to offer scientific arguments for certain literalist and inerrantist interpretations of the Bible. It is often presented without overt faith-based language, but instead relies on reinterpreting scientific results to argue that various myths in the Book of Genesis and other select biblical passages are scientifically valid. The most commonly advanced ideas of creation science include special creation based on the Genesis creation narrative and flood geology based on the Genesis flood narrative. Creationists also claim they can disprove or reexplain a variety of scientific facts, theories and paradigms of geology, cosmology, biological evolution, archaeology, history, and linguistics using creation science. Creation science was foundational to intelligent design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evolutionism</span> Derogatory term for the theory of evolution

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rejection of evolution by religious groups</span> Religious rejection of evolution

Recurring cultural, political, and theological rejection of evolution by religious groups exists regarding the origins of the Earth, of humanity, and of other life. In accordance with creationism, species were once widely believed to be fixed products of divine creation, but since the mid-19th century, evolution by natural selection has been established by the scientific community as an empirical scientific fact.

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<i>Of Pandas and People</i> Creationist supplementary textbook by Percival Davis and Dean H. Kenyon

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The "Teach the controversy" campaign of the Discovery Institute seeks to promote the pseudoscientific principle of intelligent design as part of its attempts to discredit the teaching of evolution in United States public high school science courses. Scientific organizations point out that the institute claims that there is a scientific controversy where in fact none exists.

The Kansas evolution hearings were a series of hearings held in Topeka, Kansas, United States from May 5 to 12, 2005 by the Kansas State Board of Education and its State Board Science Hearing Committee to change how evolution and the origin of life would be taught in the state's public high school science classes. The hearings were arranged by the Board of Education with the intent of introducing intelligent design into science classes via the Teach the Controversy method.

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the 14 billion year narrative of cosmic, planetary, life, and cultural evolution—told in sacred ways. Not only does it bridge mainstream science and a diversity of religious traditions; if skillfully told, it makes the science story memorable and deeply meaningful, while enriching one's religious faith or secular outlook.

Many scientists and philosophers of science have described evolution as fact and theory, a phrase which was used as the title of an article by paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould in 1981. He describes fact in science as meaning data, not known with absolute certainty but "confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent". A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of such facts. The facts of evolution come from observational evidence of current processes, from imperfections in organisms recording historical common descent, and from transitions in the fossil record. Theories of evolution provide a provisional explanation for these facts.

The level of support for evolution among scientists, the public, and other groups is a topic that frequently arises in the creation–evolution controversy, and touches on educational, religious, philosophical, scientific, and political issues. The subject is especially contentious in countries where significant levels of non-acceptance of evolution by the general population exists, but evolution is taught at public schools and universities.

Objections to evolution have been raised since evolutionary ideas came to prominence in the 19th century. When Charles Darwin published his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, his theory of evolution initially met opposition from scientists with different theories, but eventually came to receive near-universal acceptance in the scientific community. The observation of evolutionary processes occurring has been uncontroversial among mainstream biologists since the 1940s.

The Discovery Institute has conducted a series of related public relations campaigns which seek to promote intelligent design while attempting to discredit evolutionary biology, which the Institute terms "Darwinism". The Discovery Institute promotes the pseudoscientific intelligent design movement and is represented by Creative Response Concepts, a public relations firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of intelligent design</span>

This timeline of intelligent design outlines the major events in the development of intelligent design as presented and promoted by the intelligent design movement.

<i>Explore Evolution</i>

Explore Evolution: The Arguments For and Against Neo-Darwinism is a controversial biology textbook written by a group of intelligent design supporters and published in 2007. Its promoters describe it as aimed at helping educators and students to discuss "the controversial aspects of evolutionary theory that are discussed openly in scientific books and journals but which are not widely reported in textbooks." As one of the Discovery Institute intelligent design campaigns to "teach the controversy" its evident purpose is to provide a "lawsuit-proof" way of attacking evolution and promoting pseudoscientific creationism without being explicit.

"Strengths and weaknesses of evolution" is a controversial phrase that has been proposed for public school science curricula. Those proposing the phrase, such as the chairman of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE), Don McLeroy, purport that there are weaknesses in the theory of evolution and in the evidence that life has evolved that should be taught for a balanced treatment of the subject of evolution. The scientific community rejects that any substantive weaknesses exist in the scientific theory, or in the data that it explains, and views the examples that have been given in support of the phrasing as being without merit and long refuted.

References

  1. ↑ National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine. (2008). Science, Evolution, and Creationism . Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. ISBN   978-0-309-10586-6.
  2. ↑ National Academies press release "Scientific Evidence Supporting Evolution Continues To Grow; Nonscientific Approaches Do Not Belong In Science Classrooms" . Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  3. 1 2 Nisbet, Matthew (2017). "Evolution in the College Classroom: Facilitating Conversations about Science and Religion". Skeptical Inquirer . 41 (5): 22–24. Archived from the original on 2018-08-01. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  4. ↑ National Academies Press: Science, Evolution, and Creationism. ISBN   9780309105866 . Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  5. ↑ Jay B. Labov and Barbara Kline Pope (2008). "Understanding Our Audiences: The Design and Evolution of Science, Evolution, and Creationism". CBE: Life Sciences Education. 7 (1): 20–24. doi:10.1187/cbe.07-12-0103. PMC   2262128 . PMID   18316803.
  6. 1 2 New York Times Dean, Cornelia (2008-01-04). "Evolution Book Sees No Science-Religion Gap - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  7. ↑ Reuters "U.S. science academy stresses evolution's importance". Reuters. 2008-01-03. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  8. ↑ "Science advisers give fresh boost to evolution - NBC News". NBC News . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  9. 1 2 "NCSE Resource -- Kudos for Science, Evolution, and Creationism" . Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  10. ↑ "ScienceNOW -- Evolution: Read All About It!" . Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  11. ↑ "Spread the word". Nature. 451 (108): 108. 2008. Bibcode:2008Natur.451R.108.. doi: 10.1038/451108b . PMID   18185543.
  12. ↑ "Editorial: It's evolution, stupid 12 January 2008 - New Scientist".
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