Educational Swamp: In Louisiana, Scientific Literacy Remains A Flashpoint
The theory of evolution actually existed before Charles Darwin. He did not invent the idea, he merely provided a theoretical mechanism (i.e. natural selection) through which evolution could be enabled to work. Prior to Darwin, evolutionary theorists were at a loss as to how evolution actually occurred. They knew species changed over time, but they didn't know how or why. Darwin's theory filled that gap.
Yes, it is true that evolutionary theorists of the 19th century, including Charles Darwin, believed that humans evolved from apes. However, modern scientists no longer adhere to that theory, and instead believe that humans and apes both evolved from a common ancestor, which is now extinct. That's the thing about scientific theories: they change over time as new information becomes available and old theories are either disproved or reinforced through scientific testing and observation. As a result, one could say that the theory of evolution has... evolved.
I believe there was a quote in Atlas Shrugged about how those who hate knowledge believe that science is useless because scientific theories are frequently being refuted and disproved. But what such people fail to realize is that those old theories will always be replaced with new theories that take into account new information, and thus human knowledge moves forward.
I personally find it rather funny how creationists seem to be under the impression that scientists view Darwin's writings in the same way that they themselves view the Bible – as a perfect and irrefutable tome of scripture which can never be questioned. But the truth is that scientists are perfectly willing to question Darwin and submit his theories to the rigors of scientific testing, and they have done exactly that. And in their testing, they found that while most of Darwin's basic principles were solid, some of his more specific applications were incorrect. That's why the modern 21st century theory of evolution is substantially different from Darwin's theories of the 19th century. Scientific knowledge and understanding progress over time.
Almost every time a creationist attacks the theory of evolution, it quickly becomes obvious that don't actually understand the modern version of the theory at all, but rather are attacking an outdated version of it which modern scientists don't even believe in. It's essentially no different from attacking a straw man.
Yes, it is true that evolutionary theorists of the 19th century, including Charles Darwin, believed that humans evolved from apes. However, modern scientists no longer adhere to that theory, and instead believe that humans and apes both evolved from a common ancestor, which is now extinct. That's the thing about scientific theories: they change over time as new information becomes available and old theories are either disproved or reinforced through scientific testing and observation. As a result, one could say that the theory of evolution has... evolved.
I believe there was a quote in Atlas Shrugged about how those who hate knowledge believe that science is useless because scientific theories are frequently being refuted and disproved. But what such people fail to realize is that those old theories will always be replaced with new theories that take into account new information, and thus human knowledge moves forward.
I personally find it rather funny how creationists seem to be under the impression that scientists view Darwin's writings in the same way that they themselves view the Bible – as a perfect and irrefutable tome of scripture which can never be questioned. But the truth is that scientists are perfectly willing to question Darwin and submit his theories to the rigors of scientific testing, and they have done exactly that. And in their testing, they found that while most of Darwin's basic principles were solid, some of his more specific applications were incorrect. That's why the modern 21st century theory of evolution is substantially different from Darwin's theories of the 19th century. Scientific knowledge and understanding progress over time.
Almost every time a creationist attacks the theory of evolution, it quickly becomes obvious that don't actually understand the modern version of the theory at all, but rather are attacking an outdated version of it which modern scientists don't even believe in. It's essentially no different from attacking a straw man.
