On Teaching Evolution
The following is a persuasive speech written by C. Nicholas Walker to validate teaching in public schools the theory of evolution by natural selection.
PICK UP ANY science book and look inside. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Astronomy; they are all filled with countless theories and law that, for the time, best explain their associated mysteries, but could tomorrow likely succumb to a new theory that is more precise or better explained. Theories have always been taught in public schools, even when still incomplete. Evolution by natural selection is a valid theory both hypothesized and experimented with using the scientific method, and is just as valid a science as any other.
First of all, we must ask ourselves, "What actually defines a theory?" The basic definition for a scientific theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of phenomena. It originates from or is supported by the scientific method, in which a hypothesis is introduced and either proven or refuted through a series of experiments and data collections; predictive, logical, and testable. It should always be tentative, subject to change, and some even measure the degree of a theory's worth by its falsifiability. For instance, Newton's theory of gravity held true for around 600 years until Einstein's replaced it with more precise calculations. Another example is that black holes were considered completely theoretical until recently, when they were observed in nature -- now there is hardly any self-respecting physicist who doesn't believe in them! There's a good story about a student who turned in his paper on a new theory of his he believed would change the face of science forever; the professor simply read over the paper, looked at the student and said, "This isn't right. It's not even wrong!" What that means is that I could write a theory that says there are hundreds of unicorns living in the center of the sun, and while no one would be able to dissprove me, it certainly doesn't lend any more credulity to my thesis. Lastly -- and this is the more loosly followed of the rules -- a theory should be the most parsimonious, or least complex, explanation for an obervation; a good example is the simplicity of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Not convoluted, but simple and to the point.
Now that we know what defines a theory, let us see if evolution by natural selection falls into such a category. Firstly, we must ask ourselves, "Is evolution a logically self-consistent model for describing the phenomenon?" Another way of asking this is, "Does evolution use the scientific method to validate itself?" Well, if you could, imagine with me a large forest. All of the trees in this forest are a wonderful brown, and inside this forest there lives a species of moth, which are also brown, so that when a predator comes to eat them, they flatten their bodies against the tree and become invisible -- therefore not eaten. One day, a great disease wipes through the forest and turns all of the brown to grey. Just as some of us humans are different shades, so there are some moths who are more towards the brown scale, and other more towards the grey. When the brown moths are being attacked, they flatten against the grey tree and, alas, are easily seen and eaten. However, these greyer moths attempt to hide and successfully do, better matching the color of the trees. They survive, procreate, and have offspring which is even more towards the grey scale. Eventually, all of t
he brown moths are eaten and only the grey ones are able to live on. We check back on this forest 100 years later to find that, lo and behold, all of the moths are grey as the trees...a perfect match, even. That is evolution by natural selection, and it does follow the scientific method of hypothesis and experimentation/observation. It has been tested, predicts future evolutions, and is extremely logical. Next, we ask ourselves if evolution is tentative and falsifiable. The answer is...extremely; modern evolution theory began in 1859 with Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species," and is always being altered and added onto along with the findings of more evidence in fossil records. Lastly, we ask ourselves is evolution is a parsimonious explanation; the idea for evolution is simple. Organisms more apt to survive actually do, and pass these genes to the following generations (and although an even simpler explanation would be God, God is not a proper scientific theory because it does not follow the scientific method, and that is the only reason it shouldn't be taught in science rooms).
Now that we see that evolution does follow all the criteria for a scientific theory, let us see if it should indeed be taught. You see, a theory musn't be right, as much as it should be the best avaliable, most testable explanation avaliable. And although there are places where evolution cannot fully explain, its studies of numerous volumes explain wonderfully 98% of the phenomena. A religious argument, in that it supresses other's beliefs, is flawed; everything about basic astronomy and earth sciences goes against evidence from the Bible, yet these hold true and are taught everyday without interruption. Because it follows the scientific method, and is not a theory of creation (and therefore does not have to prove creation), it should not be reserved for classes on religion and philosophy. That last part bears repeating, so I'll say it again: Evolution IS NOT a theory to explain where we come from, but only to explain how we got to where we are now.
Now, let's look back into our imaginary science books, this time removing all scientific theories that do not explain 100% of the associated phenomena. That includes Special Relativity and General Relativity...they have to go. For Chemistry, we have to remove the Atomic theory, Kinetic theory of gases...they have to go. Let's see...global warming, continental drift, plate tectonics, chaos theory, number theory, music theory, acoustic theory, cell theory; suddenly we realize that these science books simply wouldn't exist anymore. So, I say again, evolution by natural selection is a scientific theory, just like any other, that uses hypothesis and experimentation to explain the observation. Take it from the classrooms, and you take with it everything else.
PICK UP ANY science book and look inside. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Astronomy; they are all filled with countless theories and law that, for the time, best explain their associated mysteries, but could tomorrow likely succumb to a new theory that is more precise or better explained. Theories have always been taught in public schools, even when still incomplete. Evolution by natural selection is a valid theory both hypothesized and experimented with using the scientific method, and is just as valid a science as any other.
First of all, we must ask ourselves, "What actually defines a theory?" The basic definition for a scientific theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of phenomena. It originates from or is supported by the scientific method, in which a hypothesis is introduced and either proven or refuted through a series of experiments and data collections; predictive, logical, and testable. It should always be tentative, subject to change, and some even measure the degree of a theory's worth by its falsifiability. For instance, Newton's theory of gravity held true for around 600 years until Einstein's replaced it with more precise calculations. Another example is that black holes were considered completely theoretical until recently, when they were observed in nature -- now there is hardly any self-respecting physicist who doesn't believe in them! There's a good story about a student who turned in his paper on a new theory of his he believed would change the face of science forever; the professor simply read over the paper, looked at the student and said, "This isn't right. It's not even wrong!" What that means is that I could write a theory that says there are hundreds of unicorns living in the center of the sun, and while no one would be able to dissprove me, it certainly doesn't lend any more credulity to my thesis. Lastly -- and this is the more loosly followed of the rules -- a theory should be the most parsimonious, or least complex, explanation for an obervation; a good example is the simplicity of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Not convoluted, but simple and to the point.
Now that we know what defines a theory, let us see if evolution by natural selection falls into such a category. Firstly, we must ask ourselves, "Is evolution a logically self-consistent model for describing the phenomenon?" Another way of asking this is, "Does evolution use the scientific method to validate itself?" Well, if you could, imagine with me a large forest. All of the trees in this forest are a wonderful brown, and inside this forest there lives a species of moth, which are also brown, so that when a predator comes to eat them, they flatten their bodies against the tree and become invisible -- therefore not eaten. One day, a great disease wipes through the forest and turns all of the brown to grey. Just as some of us humans are different shades, so there are some moths who are more towards the brown scale, and other more towards the grey. When the brown moths are being attacked, they flatten against the grey tree and, alas, are easily seen and eaten. However, these greyer moths attempt to hide and successfully do, better matching the color of the trees. They survive, procreate, and have offspring which is even more towards the grey scale. Eventually, all of t
he brown moths are eaten and only the grey ones are able to live on. We check back on this forest 100 years later to find that, lo and behold, all of the moths are grey as the trees...a perfect match, even. That is evolution by natural selection, and it does follow the scientific method of hypothesis and experimentation/observation. It has been tested, predicts future evolutions, and is extremely logical. Next, we ask ourselves if evolution is tentative and falsifiable. The answer is...extremely; modern evolution theory began in 1859 with Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species," and is always being altered and added onto along with the findings of more evidence in fossil records. Lastly, we ask ourselves is evolution is a parsimonious explanation; the idea for evolution is simple. Organisms more apt to survive actually do, and pass these genes to the following generations (and although an even simpler explanation would be God, God is not a proper scientific theory because it does not follow the scientific method, and that is the only reason it shouldn't be taught in science rooms).Now that we see that evolution does follow all the criteria for a scientific theory, let us see if it should indeed be taught. You see, a theory musn't be right, as much as it should be the best avaliable, most testable explanation avaliable. And although there are places where evolution cannot fully explain, its studies of numerous volumes explain wonderfully 98% of the phenomena. A religious argument, in that it supresses other's beliefs, is flawed; everything about basic astronomy and earth sciences goes against evidence from the Bible, yet these hold true and are taught everyday without interruption. Because it follows the scientific method, and is not a theory of creation (and therefore does not have to prove creation), it should not be reserved for classes on religion and philosophy. That last part bears repeating, so I'll say it again: Evolution IS NOT a theory to explain where we come from, but only to explain how we got to where we are now.
Now, let's look back into our imaginary science books, this time removing all scientific theories that do not explain 100% of the associated phenomena. That includes Special Relativity and General Relativity...they have to go. For Chemistry, we have to remove the Atomic theory, Kinetic theory of gases...they have to go. Let's see...global warming, continental drift, plate tectonics, chaos theory, number theory, music theory, acoustic theory, cell theory; suddenly we realize that these science books simply wouldn't exist anymore. So, I say again, evolution by natural selection is a scientific theory, just like any other, that uses hypothesis and experimentation to explain the observation. Take it from the classrooms, and you take with it everything else.
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