This presentation presents the problems faced by educators caused by Creationists and other anti-evolution persons and discusses means to refute anti-ev claims

1. title CONFRONTING ANTI-EVOLUTION PUBLIC EDUCATION THE ATTACK ON

2. Presentation 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

3. Overview - 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

4. Overview – Anti-Evolution in the News State 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

5. title Brief Review DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERSTANDING

6. Understanding Ourselves and Where We Live 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

7. Understanding Ourselves and Where We Live - Overall Development 1. Apparent motion of sun and stars around Earth Implies 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

8. Genesis 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

9. Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: Aristarchus 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

10. Solving the Sun Around Earth Illusion: 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 stake Forced 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

11. Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion: 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

12. Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion: 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

13. Solving the Unchanging Earth Illusion 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

14. Reflection – 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

15. title ELEMENTS OF EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS

16. Elements 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

17. Understanding Evolution Cell 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

18. Understanding Evolution Mitosis 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

19. Understanding Evolution From 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

20. Understanding Evolution Meiosis 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

21. Understanding 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

22. title ARGUMENTS AGAINST EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS

23. Creationist and ID Arguments Against Evolution http://creationismunleashed.blogspot.com/2005/08/ten-major-flaws-of-evolution.html TEN 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

24. 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

25. Arguments 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’ “

26. title SUMMARY CONFRONTING THE ATTACK

27. Summary – Evolution VS Creationism and ID Evolution is supported by vast amounts of data Process is well understood Sufficient 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

28. There 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 2000 People For the American Way Foundation, www.pfaw.org Thus, can be swayed for or against Evolution

29. Summary – 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

30. Summary – 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

31. title CONFRONTING ANTI-EVOLUTION PUBLIC EDUCATION THE ATTACK ON THE END