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Creationism at home.
By T. Ryan Gregory | June 22nd 2008 09:10 AM | 11 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About T. Ryan Gregory

I am an evolutionary biologist specializing in genome size evolution at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Be sure to visit Evolver Zone


... Full Bio

I received this from my mother this morning.  Looks like my home town is having a little event.  I live a few hours away, so I won't be present.

This part rules:

In case it isn't legible, it says:


Charles Darwin first proposed the theory of evolution in his 1859 book "Origin of Species".  He argued that living things adapt genetically over time in order to thrive in their own environment.  His theory also suggested that humans evolved from apes in a slow and random change over a long period of time.  This concept is probably quite familiar to most, if not all of us.  Schools have been teaching the theory of evolution and the controversy over how it is taught in schools has made news headlines.  John West, who is the associate director of the Discovery Institute's Centre for Science and Culture says: "We are not looking at the debate between evolution and intelligent design.  Rather, we are looking at creationism, that is, the creation of all things by God, versus the theory of evolution.  Creationism has a deep-rooted foundation in scripture."  Does the Bible back up Evolution or Creation?  FIND OUT!


I counted at least three major misconceptions.  Anyone comment?

 


Comments

The Stephan Leacock Museum? How appropriate.

Don Cates (not verified) | 06/22/08 | 09:48 AM
I'll play. :-)

Charles Darwin first proposed the theory of evolution in his 1859 book "Origin of Species".

Evolution as a theory existed prior to Charles Darwin. Charles proposed a plausible mechanism for evolution.

He argued that living things adapt genetically over time in order to thrive in their own environment.

Actually, he argued that variation existed in a population of organisms, and when that population was "challenged" for existence, certain genotypes reproduced better than others. The key here is that the variation was already present in the population before the selection event occurred. Natural selection filters the genetic variation pre-existing in the population.

His theory also suggested that humans evolved from apes in a slow and random change over a long period of time.

Slow yes, random no. The mutational events are random, but natural selection filters the random events.

This concept is probably quite familiar to most, if not all of us.

I would argue, based on what preceded this comment, that the concept is not as well understood (if that is what "familiar" means in context) as we would like.

Schools have been teaching the theory of evolution and the controversy over how it is taught in schools has made news headlines.

Not enough schools have been teaching it well. The controversy should be over how poorly evolution is taught when it is taught.

John West, who is the associate director of the Discovery Institute's Centre for Science and Culture says: "We are not looking at the debate between evolution and intelligent design. Rather, we are looking at creationism, that is, the creation of all things by God, versus the theory of evolution. Creationism has a deep-rooted foundation in scripture." Does the Bible back up Evolution or Creation? FIND OUT!

As the Bible is not a scientific text, I really don't care what it has to say about science.

Ronald Parsons (not verified) | 06/22/08 | 10:28 AM
T Ryan Gregory's picture
A++

T. Ryan Gregory | 06/22/08 | 11:56 AM
T Ryan Gregory's picture
Two more points of misunderstanding left that I saw (though one is somewhat contentious, the other is in the first picture).

T. Ryan Gregory | 06/22/08 | 12:00 PM
Didn't even look at the pictures, so knock my grade down a bit. :-)

Biological evolution has nothing to say about the Big Bang theory.

The second has the linear progression of man.

Ron (not verified) | 06/22/08 | 12:09 PM
T Ryan Gregory's picture
Yep -- I wasn't thinking of the linear image, but that counts too. So your grade stays.

The last one... "evolved from apes"... this one is a bit stickier and could go either way, depending on one's definition (the way they use it most likely is a misconception)...

T. Ryan Gregory | 06/22/08 | 12:25 PM
I think you already mentioned this, Ryan, but it is a misunderstanding to suggest that human "evolved from apes". Rather, a better way to put it is that modern apes and humans evolved from a shared ancestor. Additionally, since the position of humans is nested within the phylogeny of apes, would it not be better to say that humans actually are apes. By the same token, we are old world monkeys, primates, mammals, vertebrates, etc.

Baka (not verified) | 06/23/08 | 08:02 AM
Does the Bible back up Evolution or Creation? FIND OUT!

Ohhh...I can't wait to find out the answer to that one. Don't tell me...I want to be surprised!

Dave S. (not verified) | 06/25/08 | 15:11 PM
Evolution as a theory existed prior to Charles Darwin. Charles proposed a plausible mechanism for evolution.

Who was proposing evolution before Charles Darwin? There were some questioning the creationism concept but who was speaking about naturalism in the past before Darwin? Richard Dawkins talked about...

America, founded in secularism as a beacon of eighteenth century enlightenment

Why was he using the term "enlightenment" in a futurist way for what already happened in the past? Was it because evolution became popular after Darwin's proposal?

twoedgesword (not verified) | 06/27/08 | 05:14 AM
Hank's picture
Who was proposing evolution before Charles Darwin? There were some questioning the creationism concept but who was speaking about naturalism in the past before Darwin?

I assume you will get a much more comprehensive response from one of the science historians but I imagine Darwin's own grandfather adds value to the Darwin legacy.

There is no doubt that 'made famous' is not the same thing as 'invented.' To the casual observer, Edison invented a lot of things, but he really didn't.

"On Nature" was written in 500BC. So it was not a new concept but you seem to think Darwin invented it whole cloth.

Just as an aside, to the casual observer (I am not a biologist) I find it a little odd that creationists continually go after Darwin. He wrote a fine book which is hardly a modern biology text yet that's the only thing creationists bring up. Do you also berate the auto industry because Ford's early cars didn't have airbags?

Hank Campbell | 06/27/08 | 09:34 AM
T Ryan Gregory's picture
I find it a little odd that creationists continually go after Darwin. He wrote a fine book which is hardly a modern biology text yet that's the only thing creationists bring up. Do you also berate the auto industry because Ford's early cars didn't have airbags?

Classic!

T. Ryan Gregory | 06/27/08 | 15:06 PM

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