FACT OF EVOLUTION
- It’s just a theory
Yes, scientists call it the
“theory of evolution”,
but this is in recognition
of its well accepted
scientific standing. The
term “theory” is being
used in the same way
that gravitational
theory explains why,
when an apple falls
from your hand, it goes
towards the ground.
There is no uncertainty
that the apple will fall
to the ground, in the
same way that there is
no uncertainty that
bugs resistant to
antibiotics will continue
to evolve if we do not
curb our general use of
antibiotics.
Although people use
“theory” in everyday
conversation to mean a
not necessarily proven
hypothesis, this is not
the case in scientific
terms. A scientific
theory typically means
a well substantiated
explanation of some
aspect of the natural
world that sits above
laws, inferences, and
tested hypotheses.
- Humans are
descended from
monkeys
No, your great-great-
great-ancestor was not
a monkey. Evolution
theory indicates that
we have common
ancestors with
monkeys and apes —
among the existing
species, they are our
closest relatives.
Humans and
chimpanzees share
more than 90% of their
genetic sequence . But
this common ancestor,
which roamed the Earth
approximately 7 million
years ago was neither a
monkey nor a human,
but an ape-like creature
that recent research
suggests had traits
that favored the use of
tools.
- Natural selection is
purposeful
There are many
organisms that are not
perfectly adapted to
their environment. For
example, sharks don’t
have a gas bladder to
control their buoyancy
(which bony fish
typically use). Does this
refute the theory of
evolution? No, not at all.
Natural selection can
only randomly favor the
best of what is
available, it does not
purposefully turn all
living organisms into
one super creature.
It would be really
convenient if humans
could photosynthesize;
hunger could be
immediately cured by
standing in the sun (and
the much-sought
miracle diet would have
been found: stay inside).
But alas, the genetic
ability to
photosynthesize has
not appeared in animals.
Still, selection of the
best option possible has
led to an amazing
diversity of forms
remarkably well
adapted to their
environments, even if
not perfect.
- Evolution can’t
explain complex
organs
A common argument in
favor of creationism is
the evolution of the
eye. A half developed
eye would serve no
function, so how can
natural selection slowly
create a functional eye
in a step-wise manner?
Darwin himself
suggested that the eye
could have had its
origins in organs with
different functions.
Organs that allow
detection of light could
then have been favored
by natural selection,
even if it did not provide
full vision. These ideas
have been proven
correct many years
later by researchers
studying primitive light-
sensing organs in
animals. In mollusks like
snails and segmented
worms, light-sense cells
spread across the body
surface can tell the
difference between
light and dark.
- Religion is
incompatible with
evolution
It is important to make
it clear that evolution is
not a theory about the
origin of life. It is a
theory to explain how
species change over
time. Contrary to what
many people think,
there is also little
conflict between
evolution and most
common religions. Pope
Francis recently
reiterated that a belief
in evolution isn’t
incompatible with the
Catholic faith. Going
further, the reverend
Malcolm Brown from
the Church of England
stated that “natural
selection, as a way of
understanding physical
evolutionary processes
over thousands of
years, makes sense.”
He added: “Good religion
needs to work
constructively with
good science” and vice-
versa. I fully agree.
R
Created at 2017-01-15 08:56:35
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