Eugenie C Scott EVOLUTION vs CREATIONISM AN INTRODUCTION Second Edition

 What do you know about the evolution/creationism controversy?  What do you think are the main obstacles teachers have to teaching evolution in the classroom?  What questions do you have about the controversy? with your partner DISCUSS

 Part 1: Science, Evolution, Religion, and Creationism  Part 2: A History of the Creationism/Evolution Controversy  Part 3: Selections from the Literature DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS

 Evolution is a Theory in Crisis  evolution is “shaky science”  Evolution and Religion are Incompatible  Common ancestry  Natural selection  “Balancing” Evolution (Fairness)  Reflects American cultural values of hearing all the facts. THE PILLARS OF CREATIONISM

Part 1 SCIENCE, EVOLUTION, RELIGION, AND CREATIONISM

Ways of Knowing about the natural world:  Authority  Revelation  Logic  Science THE NATURE OF SCIENCE – TRUTH WITHOUT CERTAINTY

 What are some examples of concepts and theories for each of these circles? “…I THIRSTED FOR A MEANINGFUL VISION OF HUMAN LIFE – SO I BECAME A SCIENTIST. THIS IS LIKE BECOMING AN ARCHBISHOP TO MEET GIRLS…”

 In what order do you think the general public lists these?  In what order do you think scientists would arrange this list? FACTS, HYPOTHESES, LAWS, AND THEORIES Facts Laws Theories Hypotheses Theories Laws Hypotheses Facts Most Important Least Important

How do the words differ in everyday language and scientific language? WHAT IS A THEORY?

Cartoon found on creationist blog, “Words of Comfort” IS EVOLUTION TESTABLE?

IS CREATIONISM TESTABLE?

WHAT IS EVOLUTION?

WHAT IS CREATIONISM?

EVOLUTION/CREATION CONTINUUM

Methodological Naturalism  Attempt to explain natural phenomena using natural causes Philosophical Naturalism  Attempt to explain natural phenomena using natural causes  Concerned with rules of conduct, ethics, and morals  Material causes are sufficient to explain natural phenomena  God does not exist COMPARE

Part 2 A HISTORY OF THE CREATIONISM/EVOLUTIO N CONTROVERSY

 People thought the world was static (stable, largely unchanging).  As people observed more, they realized this was not so.  And the new world wasn’t in the bible… IN THE BEGINNING

processes like sedimenation and erosion  Existence of fossils  Accepted by most, even clergy  If earth was changing, why not other aspects of nature? EXPLORATIONS IN GEOLOGY

 Had a probabilistic approach to science, which was uncommon  Lead work to be denounced as speculative ENTER DARWIN

 Conflicts with biblical realism  Issues with design and purpose 2 MAIN REASONS CHRISTIANS REJECT EVOLUTION

Evolved in response to legislation 1.Worked to remove evolution from classroom and textbooks 2.Creation science and “equal time” 3.Repackaging creation science AMERICAN ANITEVOLUTIONISM

 Fundamentalist movement gains steam  Natural selection and WWI  Scopes trial  Evolution absent from textbooks and therefore classrooms ELIMINATING EVOLUTION

 It’s Sputnik’s fault  Equal time  Henry H Morris – father of creation science movement  States there are only 2 views, so arguments against evolution are for creationism CREATION SCIENCE

 Everything created in 6 24-hour days  Thousands of years old  The Genesis Flood can explain most geological features  All can be supported by facts and theories of science CREATION SCIENCE

 Takes advantage of American ideals of fairness and equality and individuality  McLean v Arkansas  Louisiana Equal Time Law  Both determined unconstitutional EQUAL TIME

 Newest strategy to combat newest legal rulings  Package creationism under different guises  Avoid creation science terminology  Development of creation science-like alternatives to evolution NEOCREATIONSIM

 Things with irreducible complexity must be by the hand of some ‘intelligence’  The Design Inference – to determine which is by intelligent creator  Hostile to methodological naturalism and propose theistic science INTELLIGENT DESIGN

 What are the biggest obstacles to teaching evolution in schools?  What are some possible solutions? with your partner DISCUSS