Re: Commentary: Evolution is factual science, the best type of theory
- From: Ron O <rokimoto@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:09:29 -0800 (PST)
On Feb 15, 10:35 am, jspace...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
From the article:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
By HAROLD KROTO
FLORIDA VOICE
On Tuesday, Florida's State Board of Education will adopt new
standards pertaining to the teaching of science in our state's public
schools. Most significantly, the new standards are expected to
acknowledge that evolution is the fundamental concept underlying all
of biology.
Now comes word that some influential state lawmakers want to ensure
that evolution in the new science standards has the word "theory"
before it. So the standards would say "theory of evolution." These
lawmakers say that this will stress the fact that evolution is a
theory, not a fact -- and they are said to be considering asking the
Legislature to force the State Board of Education to adopt the wording
change if it doesn't do so on its own.
What these lawmakers fail to appreciate is that there are two types of
theory -- scientific theories and unscientific theories.
Scientific theories are those that are considered "true" or "facts"
because they have been found experimentally to work and we know why
they work. Unscientific theories, however, have been found wanting
when similarly experimentally tested.
A few examples of "true" theories or "facts":
· Newton's Theory of Gravity is a "fact" because, among many other
things, it enables us to launch satellites into correct orbits and get
men to the moon.
· Einstein's Theory of Relativity is a "fact" because, among many
other things, it has enabled us to obtain electricity from nuclear
fission and is needed in GPS technology.
· Mendeleev's Periodic Table Theory is a fact because, among many
other things, it underpins the whole of the chemical sciences and
governs all reactions leading to materials such as plastics and the
silicon in chips and the synthesis of drugs.
· Quantum Mechanical Theory is a "fact" because, among many other
things, it explains the structure of the Periodic Table and was
fundamental to the creation of such
Darwin's Theory of Evolution, likewise, is a "fact" because, among
many other things, it underpins every aspect of biology and medicine
and is, for instance, absolutely crucial in our never-ending battle
against life-threatening diseases.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read it athttp://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorial...
J. Spaceman
QUOTE:
The 1859 treatise by Charles Darwin, "The Origin of Species -- By
Means of Natural Selection," is arguably the most beautiful example of
a "factual" or "true" scientific theory. Darwin's theory is as
fundamental to biology as Mendeleev's Periodic Table Theory is to the
chemical sciences. It explained perfectly Darwin's exhaustively
meticulous, carefully documented, painstakingly detailed and
accurately recorded observations. Not only were Darwin's original
observations explained, but every pertinent observation made since has
fitted perfectly. For the last 150 years, supporting evidence has
flooded in from every branch of the sciences: paleontology,
anthropology, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, geology, etc.
There are millions of pieces in the jigsaw puzzle, and they all fit
perfectly.
END QUOTE:
The Origin of Species was not "perfect." Darwin got some things
wrong. 150 years of the most rapid advances in science and what we
got is a scientific theory that has stood up to the tests of time and
grown with the advances. Darwin didn't know what the genetic
mechanism was. He suspected that there were other forces for
evolutionary change other than natural selection, but he didin't know
what they were. We found them. The basic notion of evolution by
descent with modification has stood the test of time and everything
that science has been able to throw at it. Even some of the major
players in this last generation of the Intelligent design creationist
scam artists gave common descent its due. The world is very old and
life has existed on this planet for billions of years. That life has
changed over time. All evidence points to the fact that the extant
species have descended from preexisting species. We even have
evidence that we share a common ancestor with all life that developed
the genetic code. Some of the creationist scam artists make a big
deal about the furball that occurred early in the evolution of life on
earth where it is apparent that lifeforms were sharing quite a bit of
their genetics and the lineages of single celled life is a mess of
fusions and part swapping, but by the time we get to multicellular
animals there isn't any major question about the basic evolutionary
fact of common descent. All metazoans from worms to humans can trace
their lineage back to a specific lineage of sponge.
Any valid alternative contenders to biological evolution were left
behind long ago in the past. There are no other scientific
alternatives worth mentioning.
Ron Okimoto
.
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