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Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

Complex, controversial subject

Review highlights

Development of our understanding of ourselves and our world/universe –

Process of Evolution: Micro- and Macro- Evolution

Arguments against Evolution and counter arguments

Suggestions re what scientists should do

Different understandings are central to issue

Overview of the Issues

Overview - Radically Differing World ViewsOverview - Radically Differing World Views

Human beings developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process. ~40%

God created human beings pretty much in their current form at one time within the last 10,000 years ~40%

Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process.

~20%

Young Earth Creationism

Intelligent Design

Science

Summary, Gallup Polls taken of representative Americans

Overview – Anti-Evolution in the NewsOverview – Anti-Evolution in the NewsState News on Teaching Evolution*

118 news items from Alabama to Wyoming: 2002 - 2007

$27 Mil, 60,000 sq. ft. Creationism museum opened May 28 Petersburg, Ky.

*http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/evolution_state_news.html

“Dover, Pennsylvania school board sued regarding incorporation of ID in curricula, Dec, 2004”

ID ruled form of religion, Nov 2006

“Board of Education Moves Once Step Closer to OKing ID in Kansas Classrooms, Aug 2005”.

Corrected, Feb 2007

Eight Odessa, Texas residents, sued their schools superintendent and county school board, May 07 WSJ

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Understanding Ourselves and Where We LiveUnderstanding Ourselves and Where We LiveHow did Understanding Develop?How did Understanding Develop?

There was a great need to understand

Key Question: How did understanding develop?

As human brain evolved, slowly became aware of self and surroundings

With great difficulty

Understanding Ourselves and Where We Live -Understanding Ourselves and Where We Live -Overall DevelopmentOverall Development

1. Apparent motion of sun and stars around EarthImplies Earth is center of universe,

Implies probably not very old Had to be made by somebody:

2. Apparent unchanging nature of the Earth

Gaining understanding - hampered by impediments:

geocentric concept

Supernatural Creator

O Illusions – things aren’t what they appear to be

O Conflict with Authority

O Conflict with common sense and intuition

Genesis and IllusionsGenesis and Illusions

Written approximately 3000 years ago and contains:

One of earliest explanations of Origins is Book of Genesis

Great Flood

Adam’s Lineage

Used to explain geological formations

Used for age of earth

Explanation of Creation by a supernatural being, God

Although 3000 years old,

“The Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation!”

Main theme [of creation museum], May 2007

Fundamentalists claim Bible still applies

Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: Aristarchus of Samos 300 BCAristarchus of Samos 300 BC

Heliocentric system is better explanation than geocentric

But, the more powerful Aristotle and associates insisted on geocentric system and Aristotle won

First astronomer to understand that illusion

Caused by earths rotation and revolution around sun

Finalized by Claudius Ptolemy, ca 100 AD and incorporated into Church Dogma

Devised bizarre special epicycle orbits for planets

Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: Nicolas Copernicus (1473 – 1543)Nicolas Copernicus (1473 – 1543)

First modern astronomer to understand illusion

Realized that would invoke wrath of church

Delayed publication until end of his life, 1543

At first church didn’t do anything

But, when interest spread, cracked down

Burned monk Bruno at stakeForced Galileo to recant heresy

Heliocentric solar system better explanation than geocentric

But, genie was out of the bottle

Today, no one is seriously suggesting that the geocentric concept be taught in public school

Heliocentric won

Obvious example of conflict with authority

Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion: Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion: Charles Lyell (1797 – 1875)Charles Lyell (1797 – 1875)

Geologist Lyell and associates among first to deduce that unchanging Earth illusion is due to extreme slowness of geologic processes.

Rather than a violent biblical flood, true causes of geologic changes are erosion, sediment deposition, etc.

Most important: deduced that earth much older than previously believed

Grand Cyn: 10,000 feet deep, approx 7 M yrs

= approx 2 inches per century

Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion:Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion: Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)

Disciple of Charles Lyell

First person to detect and publish Process of Evolution

Understood that Evolution was result of reproduction – provided variation needed for improvement

Geologist and naturalist

Ultimately leads to competition for resources

Survival of fittest

Practical reproduction, birth rate >> death rate

AKA Natural Selection

If Darwin hadn’t discovered Process, someone else would have Alfred Russell Wallace

Optimum reproduction: birth rate = death rate

Consider: Reproduction only needed for Species Survival – not Individual Survival

Solving the Unchanging Earth IllusionSolving the Unchanging Earth Illusion Charles Darwin Charles Darwin

Published findings on Nov 24, 1859

Used Lyell’s deduction of Earth’s relatively long age to “connect the dots”

Understood that Evolutionary Process was very slow and required long time

Never wrote a document entitled “Theory of Evolution”

Understood What Evolution Did, Not How it Worked

“On the origin of species by means of natural selection “

Important: Natural Selection is only part of the Process

Reflection – Some Inconvenient TruthsReflection – Some Inconvenient Truths

Helio-centric view displaced man from cherished position – center of the universe

“… if [evolution is correct] then religion was a fable, Man was just a better beast, …”

Evolution displaced man from his cherished position as a special creation of God

Charles Lyell wrote

This “Inconvenient Truth” has bothered people ever since it’s discovery

“.. No scientific theory has been more difficult for people to accept that biological evolution…”

AAAS “Evolution on the frontline .. Guide for Teaching Evolution” begins with

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Elements of Biological Evolution ProcessElements of Biological Evolution Process

Evolution is inevitable consequence of Reproductive Genetic Mixing

Reproduction is required for species survival

All multicelled species have finite lives

Hence, species members must replace themselves or species becomes extinct

Key question is how?

Answer is found in understanding of cell biology

Understanding EvolutionUnderstanding EvolutionCell FundamentalsCell Fundamentals

Structure of Cell:

Chromosomes

Nucleus

Chromatin

Significant characteristic of cells: ability to divide

DNA

Double helix structure and location of Genes on DNA not fully solved until 2001

DNA discovered and Genes deduced ca 1860, but

Understanding Evolution Understanding Evolution Mitosis and Single Cell ReproductionMitosis and Single Cell Reproduction

Process whereby cell divides into two new, identical cells

Each cell has same number of genes as parent

During Mitosis, DNA double helix “unwinds”

Double helix rebuilt

Copying errors during rebuild: mutations

Basis for single celled animal reproduction

One helix to each new cell

Creationists accept this form of Evolution

Termed Micro-Evolution

Anti-biotic resistant bacteria

Small genetic modifications

Understanding Evolution Understanding Evolution From Single Cell to Multi Celled AnimalsFrom Single Cell to Multi Celled Animals

Only single celled animals can make a copy – by dividing

Evolutionary process obviously required more diversity than single celled reproduction

Evolution of Meiotic cell division from Mitotic cell division provided necessary diversity

Single celled animals appeared over 2 B years ago

Multi-celled animals less than 1 B years ago

Hence multi-celled reproduction must start with a single cell

Creationist position: Nonsense, earth only 10 K years old

ID position: Agree – God did a good job

Understanding Evolution Understanding Evolution Meiosis and Multi-Cell ReproductionMeiosis and Multi-Cell Reproduction

Creation of eggs and sperm

Basically same as Mitosis, but has one more division

Resultant cells have only one half the genes of an adult

When sperm and egg join, complete, unique, genome formed

Significant resultant variation: birth defects to Mozart

This is reproductive, genetic mixing

Major “driver” of Evolution

Macro-Evolution

ID position: God created this

Creationist position: Agree, but, doesn’t prove Evolution, not enough time

Large genetic modifications

Understanding Evolution - Age of the EarthUnderstanding Evolution - Age of the Earth

*http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/as old as time plimer.htm

“There are 5, totally independent, methods of accurately determining the age of a rock. “

Professor Ian Plimer*

Proper understanding of Earth age is as important to Evolution as understanding Evolutionary Process

Many sources of Earth age info, here are 3

“There are at least 3 independent ways that the age of the Universe can be estimated.”

Professor Edward L. Wright*

*http:/www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/age.html

How old is the Earth? A Reply to “Scientific” Creationism *

* “Evolutionist vs. Creationists”, AAAS Pacific Div 1984

G. Brent Dalrymple

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Creationist and ID Arguments Against EvolutionCreationist and ID Arguments Against Evolution

http://creationismunleashed.blogspot.com/2005/08/ten-major-flaws-of-evolution.htmlTEN MAJOR FLAWS OF EVOLUTION - REVISED by Randy Alcorn

Intelligent Design Web Site

Basic approach:

Prove Evolution wrong

Then Creationism or ID must be correct

Creationism and ID don’t explain anything

Sources of Arguments against:

Assume Creationism or ID or Evolution True

Arguments and Counter-arguments Arguments and Counter-arguments

Watch can’t reproduce Biological system can

Complex object like pocket watch requires designer

Analogy formulated by Reverend William Paley in 1802

Obvious flaw in argument

A Design process is active in Evolution Trial and Error

Offspring provide trials: Natural selection picks best “design”

Supernatural Designer/Creator is not required

“The complexity of living systems could never evolve by chance—they had to be designed and created”

Thus, complex object like human requires designer

Reproduction is a closed loop process

Arguments and Counter-argumentsArguments and Counter-arguments

Fossilization: low probability process

Finding fossil: low probability process

But there are links - Amphibian

Fish Intermediate Amphibian

Best evidence of linkage DNA

(Low probability)2 Very, very small number

“Total lack of undisputed examples … of ‘missing links’ “

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Summary – Evolution VS Creationism and ID Summary – Evolution VS Creationism and ID

Evolution is supported by vast amounts of data

Process is well understoodSufficient time for Process

Trial and Error design process eliminates need for Intelligent Designer

Presenting the evidence supporting Evolution necessary, but not sufficient

Must confront arguments against

Creationism and ID use carefully constructed arguments against Evolution to support their beliefs

And they want their beliefs taught in Public Schools

The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism Michael J. Behe, June 5, 2007

There is HopeThere is Hope

“The public has only limited familiarity with the issues involved.” *

“Although most Americans [appear to] want Evolution taught in the public schools, most are not sure.., that theory, is proven”.

“As a result … the public’s views about how exactly public schools should approach [teaching Evolution]… are not fully formed”

* Evolution and Creationism In Public Education, Mar 2000People For the American Way Foundation, www.pfaw.org

Thus, can be swayed for or against Evolution

Summary – Confronting the ControversySummary – Confronting the Controversy

Scientists should/must:

assure that proper information is presented in Public Schools

“Scientists believe”Belief sounds like an unsupported opinion

“Scientists have deduced” is better

become more involved in School Board member selection

Become more assertive and avoid statements like

be continually prepared to confront Creationists and ID proponents

For Scientists Theory = Explanation

For Creationists Theory = Just a guess

Summary – Confronting the ControversySummary – Confronting the Controversy

Not an easy task

Well organized minority wants science replaced with religiously oriented views

Is Science up to the task?

“Evolution: Join AAAS on the Front Line”

Regarding AAAS Position A recent e-mail

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