Faith-Based Attacks Common Misconceptions

All organisms created by God during 6 days of creation Genesis 1:1-2:4 “ Ideal types ” as progenitors of all extant organisms Adam & Eve Species are immutable since their creation; intraspecific variation is limited “ Creation event ” is recent 1. Species were created independently of each other 2. Species do not change through time 3. Species were created recently

Species were created independently (of each other)

1-2% Divergence =

Homologous structures arise from homologous groups of embryonic cells, through homologous developmental pathways….

Species do not change through time (immutability of forms)

Stratigraphic record A. Observations from fossil record: fossils exist, and most differ from extant species; 3 specific observations support the idea that species change over time: 1. Extinction: 1801, Cuvier published first list of extinct species; 1812, he proved Irish Elk to be an extinct species

2. Law of Succession of Types: fossil species excavated from a given area are succeeded by similar extant species in overlapping regions

3. Transitional Forms: Darwin predicted that intermediate forms should be represented in the fossil record

developmental: phylotypic stages, hourglass model Antibiotic resistance 2. direct observation: Artificial selection B. Observations from extant species 1. vestigial structures: functionless or rudimentary homolog with important function in related species structural: tailbones, eyes genetic: pseudogenes STOP

Species were created recently

Is the Earth more than 6,000 years old? Catastrophism vs. Uniformitarianism Relative dating of rock formations principle of superposition principle of original horizontality principle of cross-cutting relationships principle of inclusions principle of faunal succession

1.8

Relative Dating vs. Radiometric Dating Unstable isotope decay as natural clock Carbon, potassium-argon, uranium-lead Half-lives elapsed Number of atoms

How old is life on Earth? Inference: the Earth was lifeless for ~900 million years after it formed, and that Evolution has been occurring for ~3.7 billion years Oldest traces of chemical evidence of life are carbon granules with a distinct ratio of 13 C to 12 C, dated to >3.7 bya Oldest fossil organisms found yet are bacterial cell impressions dated to 3.5 billion years old

 Literalist: As discussed  Progressive: Universe is old, but life was created supernaturally in essentially its present form within the last 10,000 years (or some believe that each “ day ” of Genesis was indeterminably long)  Theistic: Universe is old, “ days ” of Genesis were indeterminably long, evolution occurred, but with minimal or no randomness (evolutionary process ‘ guided ’ by God)  Intelligent Design: Supernatural intelligence designed complex biological structures (DNA, bacterial flagella, etc.), but descent with modification possible “ Flavors ” of Creationist Belief

“ Evolution is the taproot which is feeding the oppressive, murderous, and infidel directions we see gaining acceptance around us ”

Common Misconceptions About Evolution Humans from Monkeys? Humans not derived from monkeys or apes Common ancestry of extant lineages Order from Disorder? 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: entropy increases in closed systems Complex Designs Require a Designer Structures ‘ designed ’ to increase survival in complex world Mutation (random) and selection (non-random) Many famous scientists reject evolution Overwhelming worldwide scientific consensus Anti-evolutionists often misquote, or quote out of context, evolutionary scientists

Define your terms!

Just A Theory!  Fact: an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed  Law: a descriptive generalization about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances  Hypothesis: a testable statement about the natural world, based on factual observation, that can be used to build more complex inferences and explanations  Theory: a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses Just A Theory?

Environment does not induce adaptation! Rather, individuals with advantageous phenotypes survive and reproduce…

Natural selection: “ Survival of the Fittest ” or “ Elimination of the Inferior ” ?

 Selection: Acts on individual phenotypes to produce a distinct change in trait distributions within a generation  Evolution: A population-level change in allele frequencies between generations, as a consequence of selection Evolution is a generation behind environmental change!

 Natural Selection is nonrandom: evolution by selection increases adaptation to the environment  Evolution is NOT progressive: although there is a trend toward an increase in complexity and specialization, there is no progression toward a predetermined goal. ABCDE Neither “ higher ” nor “ advanced ” Neither “ lower ” nor “ primitive ”  Natural Selection does not result in “ perfection ”

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