Any theory that claims to be scientific must somehow, at some time, be compared with experiments and observations. It is the nature of science to test and retest explanations against the natural world. Theories that survive repeated testing may be regarded as true statements about the world. But if there is persistent conflict between theory and evidence, the theory can NOT be scientific.
According to the 1998 National Academy of Science booklet "all scientific knowledge is, in principle, subjective to change as new evidence becomes available. “It doesn’t matter how long the theory has been held, or how many scientists currently believe it, if contradictory evidence turns up, the theory MUST be reevaluated or even abandoned. Otherwise it is not science, but myth.
When you speak to someone about evolution and you ask them why they believe in it, they probably just quote some random bunch of statements that they think is based on facts, maybe read in some magazine, heard on a television show or even taught in schools and universities. If you ask them to name some of these "facts" they will probably name one of the "icons" of evolution.
During this series we will be looking at the 10 main "icons" claiming to be facts. We will be looking at how they are not factual, not scientific and is more of a myth.
As follows is the list:
- The Miller-Urey Experiment- a lab flask containing a simulation of the earth's primitive atmosphere, in which electrical sparks produce the chemical building blocks of living cells
- Darwin's Tree of Life- reconstructed from a large and growing body of fossil and molecular evidence
- Homology in Vertebrate Limbs- similar bone structure in bat's wing, a porpoise's flipper, a horses leg, and a human hand indicating their evolutionary origin in a common ancestor
- Haeckel's Embryos- pictures of similarities in early embryos showing that amphibians, reptiles birds and humans all came from a fish like creature
- Archaeopteryx: The Missing Link- a fossil bird with teeth in its jaws and claws on its wings, missing link between ancient reptiles and modern birds
- Peppered Moths- showing how camouflage and predatory birds produce the most famous example of evolution by natural selection
- Darwin's Finches- thirteen separate species that diverged from one when natural selection produced differences in their beaks
- Four-Winged Fruit Flies- extra pair of wings, showing that genetic mutations can provide the raw materials for evolution
- Fossil Horses and Direct Evolution- a branching-tree pattern of horse fossils that refutes the old fashioned idea that evolution was directed
- From Ape to Human: The Ultimate Icon- drawing ape-like creatures evolving into humans, showing that we are just animals and that our existence is merely a by-product of purposeless natural causes.
What is Evolution?
Biological evolution is the theory that all living things are modified descendants of a common ancestor that lived in the distant past. No rational person denies the reality of change, and we did not need Charles Darwin to convince us of it. If "evolution" meant only this, it would be extremely uncontroversial. Nobody believes that biological evolution is simply change over time. Only slightly less evasive is the statement that descent with modification occurs. Of course it does, because all organisms within a single species are related through decent with modification. We can see this in our own families, plant and animal breeders see it in their work. But this still missis the point. No one doubts the descent with modification, but the real question is does modification accounts for the origin of new species-in fact of every species. The only way anyone can determine whether this claim is true is by comparing it with observations or experiments. Like all other scientific theories, Darwinian evolution must be continually compared with the evidence. If it does not fir the evidence, it must be reevaluated, abandoned or called a myth.
Research the evidence, find the facts, have Intelligent Faith
-Nelis
