Evolution Statement

Organic Life beneath the shoreless waves

Was born and nurs’d in Ocean’s pearly caves;

First forms of minute, unseen by spheric glass,

Moves on the mud, or pierce the watery mass;

Then as successive generations bloom,

New powers acquire and larger limbs assume.

-Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin

Evolution in Biology

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." Theodosius Dobzhansky, Geneticist

Occasionally in Biology 1406, students have questions regarding the validity of evolution. A common misconception about evolution is "it's just a theory." In science, theories have substantial amounts of evidence which support them. Without evidence, you simply have a hypothesis. The Theory of Evolution is a prime example of a scientific theory; there is evidence in all fields of science (geology, chemistry, genetics, etc.) which support it. In fact, Theodosius Dobzhansky nicely emphasizes the role of evolution as the most important unifying principle in biology.

What is science? What makes evolution scientific?

Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena, explanations that are open to further testing, revision, and falsification, and while not "believed in" through faith may be accepted or rejected on the basis of evidence.

Evolutionary theory is the scientific explanation for the origin of all the diverse yet related forms of life found on Earth. As we continue to discover more evidence, including more fossils, genetic breakthroughs, molecular data, etc., our mechanisms for how evolution has occurred may need modification. This is required for science - hypotheses and the mechanisms behind the theories must be flexible! Pseudosciences (creationism/intelligient design) cannot meet this requirement which is one reason why they fail to be scientific.

The following scientific societies have statements regarding the importance of evolution in science:

American Anthropological Association

Association for the Advancement of Science

American Association of Physics Teachers

American Astronomical Society

American Institute of Biological Sciences

American Institute of Physics

American Phytopathological Society

Botanical Society of America

Genetics Society of America

Geological Society of America

History of Science Society