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Darwin’s evolutionary expectations that fossils of primitive organisms would eventually be found in Precambrian strata were not confirmed until the 1950s, when microbial fossils were found in 2-billion-year-old chert from Canada’s Lake Superior ( abov e). Click to read more about Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory by Edward J. LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers All about Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory by Edward J.

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(Modern Library Chronicles #17)

“I often said before starting, that I had no doubt I should frequently repent of the whole undertaking.” So wrote Charles Darwin aboard The Beagle, bound for the Galapagos Islands and what would arguably become the greatest and most controversial discovery in scientific history. But the theory of evolution did not spring full-blown from the head of Darwin. Since the dawn o..more
Published August 8th 2006 by Modern Library (first published 2004)
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Apr 24, 2013Peter Mcloughlin rated it really liked it
Shelves: general-history, nonfiction, general-science, intellectual-history, 00000good-things, european-history, 1890-1959, modernism, biology, 1701-to-1800
A history of the development and reactions to evolutionary theory from the 18th century to modern synthesis and American culture wars over the subject. Straight forward history on a topic that has generated a lot of cultural conflict in the west especially very much in religion and politics. it is one of those scientific ideas that can't be let alone by the culture because it speaks to our origins and nature. Of course, it is going to generate contentious conflict with people who have a stake i..more
Remarkable
Mar 01, 2017Bob rated it really liked it
Summary: A history of the development of evolutionary theory, including both the antecedents to Darwin and Russell and the extension of this theory, the controversies, both past and present that it provoked, and the genetic discoveries that have further revealed the theory's mechanisms.
The theory of evolution is perhaps one of the most contested of scientific battlegrounds, both in terms of internal debates about aspects of the theory, and the conflict, particularly in the U.S., around this theo
..more
Feb 21, 2016Thomas rated it really liked it
A sweeping history of the development of the theory and the personalities involved, from Cuvier and his outstanding cranium to the cranky competitiveness of James Watson. One of my favorite anecdotes is of the eccentric English theologian and proponent of theistic evolution, William Buckland, of whom Larson writes:
Buckland was a thoroughly rational Christian. When encountering an alleged miracle of martyr's blood perpetually wetting the floor of a Roman Catholic cathedral, he tested the hypothes
..more
Jul 23, 2018Mike rated it really liked it
Short overview of one of the most brilliant scientific theories ever formulated.It is very readable but there wasn't anything here that I didn't already know.
This books provides a nice overview of the history of biological science over the past 200 years, with a focus on genetic science, as it transitioned from philosophical speculation to evidence-based science. What I found interesting and entertaining was how various opposing theories of the mechanisms of genetic inheritance were gradually synthesized over the decades. Some of those who dedicated their lives to oppose other's theories never knew that beyond their lifetimes their theories were synt..more
Mar 18, 2018Daniel Lemagie rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I had first heard of this book while reading another book, 'How I Changed My Mind about Evolution.' This book dealt with the testimonies of Christian scientists and theologians who had come to accept evolution as a theory with great explanatory power in the area of the diversity of life, all the while being demonstrably consistent with theologically orthdox interpretations of the Bible.
As one can ascertain from the subtitle of the book, it is a history dealing with the origins and development of
..more
Jul 20, 2018Chris Leuchtenburg rated it really liked it
Many books have traced the development of evolutionary ideas from the early stirrings in the late eighteenth century through the triumphal breakthrough of Darwinism. This book does that and so much more. It continues through the scientific skepticism generated by developments in genetics, paleontology and statistics during the following century that led eventually to the mid-twentieth century Neo-Darwinian synthesis that established evolution at the center of all biology. Along the way, Larson s..more
Jul 16, 2018Stephen rated it really liked it
Shelves: format-paperbook, 2018-reading, nf-history, bought, reviewed, nf-science
This is a reasonably concise history of evolutionary biology that doesn't skimp on detail. As a history-of-science-for-general-audiences book goes it's good but not CHAOS: MAKING A NEW SCIENCE great; however, it's valuable in demonstrating that evolution was not 'dogma' in the biological sciences for quite some time. And far from being a black mark against evolution, this is rather evolution proving itself over and over again, as more and more threads of natural science are woven together.
3.5 st
..more
It’s a good book for fast review of evolution
What a fantastic read. Pick this up and be amazed.
A must read for anybody that will be studying evolution. And worth reading over again.
Jun 30, 2011Bill rated it really liked it
Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory by Edward J. Larson.
This book has a Modern Library logo on it and is part of a series named The Modern Library Chronicles. I checked some of the other books in the series. There are thirty-two titles that cover the history of everything from communism to the company. While reading the book ( I also listened to an audio edition) I realized that I have another book by this author, Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuin
..more
A bit frivolous here and there, but I appreciated the narrative.
May 23, 2012Bart Breen rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Excellent Historical Overview
Larson in this book provides an easy to read (or as in my case, to listen to on tape) history of the development of Evolution as a theory and how it moved and weaved not only through scientific circles, but also through society.
In this regard, Larson is indeed very nuetral and soft-spoken in relating the 'story' of evolution in a clear and easily traceable manner that any interested reader (or listener) can follow. It helps tremendously to have this overview and to u
..more
'Do you believe in intelligent design or evolution?'
This is seen as a binary choice, each with a static definition based on one's preconceived notions. And that's what the book is about: evolution as an idea has, well, evolved to fit the ideals of the day.
So much evolutionary theory has revolved around the idea of a tangible end point; Darwin wrote that the Englishman was the pinnacle of evolution whose work ethic placed him over the 'savage races.' Theorists in the 1950s attempted to meld evolu
..more
In the first half of his book, Mr Larson does a nice job tracing the origins of the theories of Evolution. He pays particular attention to the French Natural Historians and their early contributions to Evolutionary theory: one of the interesting ideas Mr Larson poses is that the French Revolution freed Scientists from Religious doctrine and allowed them to think outside the 'Book of Genesis.'
However, what is of particular interest (to me) is his concentration (in the last half of the book) on 20
..more
Oct 01, 2012David rated it liked it
I am not a science-minded guy. Don't get me wrong, I like science: I enjoy learning about various scientific topics, not to mention getting vaccines that prevent deadly diseases so many humans in previous eras succumbed to! What I mean is, I never got into scientific study. In college I took the required science classes and moved on. Today I will occasionally pick up a science book and it is hit or miss: some of them I enjoy and learn a lot, others lose me (which is probably more a fault of mine..more
Feb 23, 2015Paul rated it it was amazing
Edward Larson has written a remarkable work of both science and history, managing to cogently relate complicated scientific concepts and clearly explain how they changed over time. On a personal note, it was illuminating to see how many of the arguments against evolution I heard as a child were directed against variations of evolution that had long been rejected by scientists themselves – and how few actually approached the theory as it stood at the time. This phenomenon still appears to exist t..more
May 29, 2008Lucas rated it really liked it
The large amount of material on eugenics is interesting, but that whole movement seems to be more in response to Mendelian genetics rather than the discovery of evolution- it's not necessary to invoke common descent for scientific sounding justifications for eugenics.
It's interesting to note that for creationists, that the acceptance of evolution reduces the stature of their creator is of lesser importance than the reduction in the stature of humans it implies. It's this same sense of entitlemen
..more
Mar 05, 2012David R. rated it really liked it
A workmanlike progress through the history of the theory of evolution from precursors (Cuvier et al) through Darwin to modern discoveries in genetics and anthropology. Larson does well to demonstrate that Darwin didn't postulate evolution, but the mechanism of natural selection. And he spends a good deal of time covering both Natural Selection's unsavory offspring (Social Darwinists and proponents of eugenics) and its enemies (particularly creationists). Larson ties all the threads together wond..more
Dec 27, 2007Deborah Schaeffer rated it it was amazing
For anyone with any interest science, this is an often fascinating historical account of the evolution of the concept of evolution in western society. It is very well-written, and accessible to anyone, although it sometimes gets quite dense with dates, names, and facts. I appreciate this book because it doesn't 'take sides' in any debate, but simply presents the facts in a very objective fashion. It provides much-needed perspective in a time when evolution as a scientific concept is so hotly deb..more
This is a rather dry yet encompassing overview of the evolution of evoluition theory, I suppose one would say, from per-Darwin to today's divisive discussion around Dawkins, Gould, Intelligent Design, etc. I never thought about it before, but it seems like we are heading back into the trough of intelligent debate not seen since the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' (one of the best chapters in the book). I don't recall all the recriminations and attacks in the '80s when Sagan was routinely on PBS talking ab..more
I listened to this book on audio. It was interesting and I am glad I picked it up. I think Larson presents a vast amount of material in an accessible way. They only thing that kept me from rating this higher was the reader voice/inflection. He had one of those sleepy kinds of voices that lull you to sleep rather then pull you into the story. That said, I liked the book enough to find a print copy and catch the parts I missed.
Dec 17, 2012David Bird rated it liked it · review of another edition
I thought I should read a book on evolution by someone who is less than vehemently adherent. I ended up with the sense that no one opposes it except for nonscientific reasons. Which is kind of like opposing Beethoven for nonmusical ones.
I accept Larson's point that some who favor evolution do so for nonscientific reasons, but to follow the experts in a field in that way does not seem to me equivalent, as seems to be implied from the journalistic tone, to the opposing position.
Concise, fascinating, eye opening work. While it can be a bit dry at times I found certain chapters riveting. Certainly the afterward of the book is correct when it states that any book on evolution is like looking at a photograph of a growing child. There is do much more to be written, but after reading this it boggles the mind that some still disregard evolution altogether.
Larson gives a brief history of evolution, started with the precursors to Darwin to contemporary culture wars and sociobiology. I found his chapter on eugenics especially interesting. He does spend some time going over the science as it developed historically which gave an interesting perspective on how the 'modern synthesis' came to be- natural selection united with Mendelian genetics.
This book was really interesting. It was basically the evolution of evolution; where the idea came about, how it built up through history, why Darwin became a representative of the theory. It shows the reader that through all centuries mankind has created, through some often horrid methods, their own evolution. Very good read.
This is a truly excellent book about the process of evolution and the scientific formulation of the theory of evolution. It is also highly readable and manages to be logical and straightforward without being pedantic.
Sep 17, 2013John E rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This is a really good overview of the history of evolutionary thought written by the author of a good study of the Scopes Trial of the 1920s. It is a bit dry and sometimes there were just a few too many names and nuances of thought for me.
Dec 28, 2015Daniel Toker rated it really liked it
This book is a solid overview of both the theory of evolution by natural selection and its history, including the philosophical, cultural, and religious backdrop/reactions to the theory in various stages of its development. Concisely written and extremely well researched.
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Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian and legal scholar. He is university professor of history and holds the Hugh & Hazel Darling Chair in Law at Pepperdine University. He was formerly Herman E. Talmadge Chair of Law and Richard B. Russell Professor of American History at the University of Georgia.
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Evolutionary biology
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Many scientists and philosophers of science have described evolution as fact and theory, a phrase which was used as the title of an article by paleontologistStephen Jay Gould in 1981. He describes fact in science as meaning data, not absolute certainty but 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent'. A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of such facts. The facts of evolution come from observational evidence of current processes, from imperfections in organisms recording historical common descent, and from transitions in the fossil record. Theories of evolution provide a provisional explanation for these facts.[1]

Each of the words 'evolution', 'fact' and 'theory' has several meanings in different contexts. Evolution means change over time, as in stellar evolution.[citation needed] In biology it refers to observed changes in organisms, to their descent from a common ancestor, and at a technical level to a change in gene frequency over time; it can also refer to explanatory theories (such as Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection) which explain the mechanisms of evolution. To a scientist, fact can describe a repeatable observation that all can agree on; it can refer to something that is so well established that nobody in a community disagrees with it; and it can also refer to the truth or falsity of a proposition. To the public, theory can mean an opinion or conjecture (e.g., 'it's only a theory'), but among scientists it has a much stronger connotation of 'well-substantiated explanation'. With this number of choices, people can often talk past each other, and meanings become the subject of linguistic analysis.

Evidence for evolution continues to be accumulated and tested. The scientific literature includes statements by evolutionary biologists and philosophers of science demonstrating some of the different perspectives on evolution as fact and theory.

  • 1Evolution, fact and theory
  • 2Evolution as theory and fact in the literature

Evolution, fact and theory[edit]

Evolution has been described as 'fact and theory'; 'fact, not theory'; 'only a theory, not a fact'; 'multiple theories, not fact'; and 'neither fact, nor theory.'[2] The disagreements among these statements, however, have more to do with the meaning of words than the substantial issues and this controversy is discussed below.

Evolution[edit]

Professor of biology Jerry Coyne sums up biological evolution succinctly:

Life on Earth evolved gradually beginning with one primitive species—perhaps a self-replicating molecule—that lived more than 3.5 billion years ago; it then branched out over time, throwing off many new and diverse species; and the mechanism for most (but not all) of evolutionary change is natural selection.[3]

This shows the breadth and scope of the issue, incorporating the scientific fields of zoology, botany, genetics, geology, and paleontology, among many others.

But the central core of evolution is generally defined as changes in trait or gene frequency in a population of organisms from one generation to the next.[4] This has been dubbed the standard genetic definition of evolution. Natural selection is only one of several mechanisms in the theory of evolutionary change that explains how organisms historically adapt to changing environments. The principles of heredity were re-discovered in 1900, after Darwin's death, in Gregor Mendel's research on the inheritance of simple trait variations in peas.[5][page needed] Subsequent work into genetics, mutation, paleontology, and developmental biology expanded the applicability and scope of Darwin's original theory.

According to Douglas J. Futuyma:

Evolution the remarkable history of a scientific theory pdf download
Biological evolution may be slight or substantial; it embraces everything from slight changes in the proportion of different alleles within a population (such as those determining blood types) to the successive alterations that led from the earliest proto-organism to snails, bees, giraffes, and dandelions.[6][page needed]

The word evolution in a broad sense refers to processes of change, from stellar evolution to changes in language. In biology, the meaning is more specific: heritable changes which accumulate over generations of a population. Individual organisms do not evolve in their lifetimes, but variations in the genes they inherit can become more or less common in the population of organisms. Any changes during the lifetime of organisms which are not inherited by their offspring are not part of biological evolution.[7]

To Keith Stewart Thomson, the word evolution has at least three distinct meanings:[8]

  1. The general sense of change over time.
  2. All life forms have descended with modifications from ancestors in a process of common descent.
  3. The cause or mechanisms of these process of change, that are examined and explained by evolutionary theories.

Thomson remarks: 'Change over time is a fact, and descent from common ancestors is based on such unassailable logic that we act as though it is a fact. Natural selection provides the outline of an explanatory theory.'[8]

Biologists consider it to be a scientific fact that evolution has occurred in that modern organisms differ from past forms, and evolution is still occurring with discernible differences between organisms and their descendants. There is such strong quantitative support for the second that scientists regard common descent as being as factual as the understanding that in the Solar System the Earth orbits the Sun, although the examination of the fundamentals of these processes is still in progress. There are several theories about the mechanisms of evolution, and there are still active debates about specific mechanisms.[9]

There is a fourth meaning for the word evolution that is not used by biologists today. In 1857, the philosopher Herbert Spencer defined it as 'change from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous.' He claimed (before Darwin) that this was 'settled beyond dispute' for organic evolution and applied it to the evolution of star systems, geology and human society.[10] Even Spencer by 1865 was admitting that his definition was imperfect,[11] but it remained popular throughout the nineteenth century before declining under the criticisms of William James and others.[12][13]

Fact[edit]

Fact is often used by scientists to refer to experimental or empirical data or objective verifiable observations.[14][15] 'Fact' is also used in a wider sense to mean any theory for which there is overwhelming evidence.[16]

A fact is a hypothesis that is so firmly supported by evidence that we assume it is true, and act as if it were true. —Douglas J. Futuyma[6]

In the sense that evolution is overwhelmingly validated by the evidence, it is a fact. It is frequently said to be a fact in the same way as the Earth's revolution around the Sun is a fact.[6][17] The following quotation from Hermann Joseph Muller's article, 'One Hundred Years Without Darwinism Are Enough,' explains the point.

There is no sharp line between speculation, hypothesis, theory, principle, and fact, but only a difference along a sliding scale, in the degree of probability of the idea. When we say a thing is a fact, then, we only mean that its probability is an extremely high one: so high that we are not bothered by doubt about it and are ready to act accordingly. Now in this use of the term fact, the only proper one, evolution is a fact.[18]

Evolution The Remarkable History Of A Scientific Theory Pdf Online

The National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) makes a similar point:

Scientists most often use the word 'fact' to describe an observation. But scientists can also use fact to mean something that has been tested or observed so many times that there is no longer a compelling reason to keep testing or looking for examples. The occurrence of evolution in this sense is a fact. Scientists no longer question whether descent with modification occurred because the evidence supporting the idea is so strong.[19]

Stephen Jay Gould also points out that 'Darwin continually emphasized the difference between his two great and separate accomplishments: establishing the fact of evolution, and proposing a theory—natural selection—to explain the mechanism of evolution.'[20] These two aspects are frequently confused. Scientists continue to argue about particular explanations or mechanisms at work in specific instances of evolution – but the fact that evolution has occurred, and is still occurring, is undisputed.

A common misconception is that evolution cannot be reliably observed because it all happened millions of years ago and the science therefore is not dependent on facts (in the initial sense above). However, both Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-founders of the theory, and all subsequent biologists depend primarily on observations of living organisms; Darwin concentrated largely on the breeding of domesticated animals whereas Wallace started from the biogeographical distribution of species in the Amazon and Malay Archipelago. In the early twentieth century, population genetics had centre stage, and more recently DNA has become the main focus of observation and experimentation.

Philosophers of science argue that we do not know mind-independent empirical truths with absolute certainty: even direct observations may be 'theory laden' and depend on assumptions about our senses and the measuring instruments used. In this sense all facts are provisional.[9][21]

Theory[edit]

The scientific definition of the word 'theory' is different from the definition of the word in colloquial use. In the vernacular, 'theory' can refer to guesswork, a simple conjecture, an opinion, or a speculation that does not have to be based on facts and need not be framed for making testable predictions.

In science, however, the meaning of theory is more rigorous. A scientific theory is 'a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.'[22] Theories are formed from hypotheses that have been subjected repeatedly to tests of evidence which attempt to disprove or falsify them. In the case of evolution through natural selection, Darwin conceived the hypothesis around 1839, and made a first draft of the concept three years later in 1842. He discussed this widely with many of his intellectual companions, and conducted further research in the background to his other writings and work. After years of development, he finally published his evidence and theory in On the Origin of Species in 1859.[23]

The 'theory of evolution' is actually a network of theories that created the research program of biology. Darwin, for example, proposed five separate theories in his original formulation, which included mechanistic explanations for:

  1. gradual change
  2. common descent[24]

Since Darwin, evolution has become a well-supported body of interconnected statements that explains numerous empirical observations in the natural world. Evolutionary theories continue to generate testable predictions and explanations about living and fossilized organisms.[25][26][page needed]

Phylogenetic theory is an example of evolutionary theory. It is based on the evolutionary premise of an ancestral descendant sequence of genes, populations, or species. Individuals that evolve are linked together through historical and genealogical ties. Evolutionary trees are hypotheses that are inferred through the practice of phylogenetic theory. They depict relations among individuals that can speciate and diverge from one another. The evolutionary process of speciation creates groups that are linked by a common ancestor and all its descendants. Species inherit traits, which are then passed on to descendants. Evolutionary biologists use systematic methods and test phylogenetic theory to observe and explain changes in and among species over time. These methods include the collection, measurement, observation, and mapping of traits onto evolutionary trees. Phylogenetic theory is used to test the independent distributions of traits and their various forms to provide explanations of observed patterns in relation to their evolutionary history and biology.[27][page number verification needed][28][page needed] The neutral theory of molecular evolution is used to study evolution as a null model against which tests for natural selection can be applied.

Evolution as theory and fact in the literature[edit]

The following sections provide specific quotable references from evolutionary biologists and philosophers of science demonstrating some of the different perspectives on evolution as fact and theory.

Evolution as fact[edit]

  • American zoologist and paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson stated that 'Darwin.. finally and definitely established evolution as a fact.'[29]
  • Hermann Joseph Muller wrote, 'So enormous, ramifying, and consistent has the evidence for evolution become that if anyone could now disprove it, I should have my conception of the orderliness of the universe so shaken as to lead me to doubt even my own existence. If you like, then, I will grant you that in an absolute sense evolution is not a fact, or rather, that it is no more a fact than that you are hearing or reading these words.'[18]
  • Kenneth R. Miller writes, 'evolution is as much a fact as anything we know in science.'[30]
  • Ernst Mayr observed, 'The basic theory of evolution has been confirmed so completely that most modern biologists consider evolution simply a fact. How else except by the word evolution can we designate the sequence of faunas and floras in precisely dated geological strata? And evolutionary change is also simply a fact owing to the changes in the content of gene pools from generation to generation.'[31]

Evolution as fact and theory[edit]

Miba spezial 93 pdf files. 'Fact' is commonly used to refer to the observable changes in organisms' traits over generations while the word 'theory' is reserved for the mechanisms that cause these changes:

  • Writing in 1930, biologist Julian Huxley entitled the third book of the wide-ranging series The Science of Life, which dealt with the fossil record and the evidence of plant and animal structures, The Incontrovertible Fact of Evolution. He also says 'Natural Selection..is not a theory but a fact. But does it..suffice to account for the whole spectacle of Evolution?..There we come to speculative matter, to theories.' But he concludes that 'the broad positions of Darwinism re-emerge from a scrutiny of the most exacting sort essentially unchanged.'[32] In 1932, a portion of the book was republished under the title Evolution, Fact and Theory.
  • Stephen Jay Gould writes, '..evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts do not go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's, but apples did not suspend themselves in mid-air, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from apelike ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other, yet to be discovered.'[33]
  • Similarly, biologist Richard Lenski says, 'Scientific understanding requires both facts and theories that can explain those facts in a coherent manner. Evolution, in this context, is both a fact and a theory. It is an incontrovertible fact that organisms have changed, or evolved, during the history of life on Earth. And biologists have identified and investigated mechanisms that can explain the major patterns of change.'[34]
  • Biologist T. Ryan Gregory notes, 'biologists rarely make reference to 'the theory of evolution,' referring instead simply to 'evolution' (i.e., the fact of descent with modification) or 'evolutionary theory' (i.e., the increasingly sophisticated body of explanations for the fact of evolution). That evolution is a theory in the proper scientific sense means that there is both a fact of evolution to be explained and a well-supported mechanistic framework to account for it.'[35]

Evolution as fact and not theory[edit]

Other commentators – focusing on the changes in species over generations and in some cases common ancestry – have stressed, in order to emphasize the weight of supporting evidence, that evolution is a fact, arguing that the use of the term 'theory' is not useful:

  • Richard Lewontin wrote, 'It is time for students of the evolutionary process, especially those who have been misquoted and used by the creationists, to state clearly that evolution is fact, not theory.'[36]
  • Douglas J. Futuyma writes in Evolutionary Biology (1998), 'The statement that organisms have descended with modifications from common ancestors—the historical reality of evolution—is not a theory. It is a fact, as fully as the fact of the earth's revolution about the sun.'[6]
  • Richard Dawkins says, 'One thing all real scientists agree upon is the fact of evolution itself. It is a fact that we are cousins of gorillas, kangaroos, starfish, and bacteria. Evolution is as much a fact as the heat of the sun. It is not a theory, and for pity's sake, let's stop confusing the philosophically naive by calling it so. Evolution is a fact.'[37]
  • Neil Campbell wrote in his 1990 biology textbook, 'Today, nearly all biologists acknowledge that evolution is a fact. The term theory is no longer appropriate except when referring to the various models that attempt to explain how life evolves.. it is important to understand that the current questions about how life evolves in no way implies any disagreement over the fact of evolution.'[38]

Evolution as a collection of theories not fact[edit]

Evolutionary biologist Kirk J. Fitzhugh[39] writes that scientists must be cautious to 'carefully and correctly' describe the nature of scientific investigation at a time when evolutionary biology is under attack from creationists and proponents of intelligent design. Fitzhugh writes that while facts are states of being in nature, theories represent efforts to connect those states of being by causal relationships:

''Evolution' cannot be both a theory and a fact. Theories are concepts stating cause–effect relations. Regardless of one's certainty as to the utility of a theory to provide understanding, it would be epistemically incorrect to assert any theory as also being a fact, given that theories are not objects to be discerned by their state of being.'

Fitzhugh recognizes that the 'theory' versus 'fact' debate is one of semantics. He nevertheless contends that referring to evolution as a 'fact' is technically incorrect and distracts from the primary 'goal of science, which is to continually acquire causal understanding through the critical evaluation of our theories and hypotheses.' Fitzhugh concludes that the 'certainty' of evolution 'provides no basis for elevating any evolutionary theory or hypothesis to the level of fact.'[40]

Dr William C. Robertson writing for National Science Teachers Association writes, 'I have heard too many scientists claim that evolution is a fact, often in retort to the claim that it is just a theory. Evolution isn’t a fact. Rather than claiming so, I think scientists would be better served to agree that evolution is a theory and then proceed to explain what a theory is -- a coherent explanation that undergoes constant testing and often revision over a period of time.'[41]

Related concepts and terminology[edit]

The main purpose of evolutionary biology is to provide a rational explanation for the extraordinarily complex and intricate organization of living things. To explain means to identify a mechanism that causes evolution and to demonstrate the consequences of its operation. These consequences are then the general laws of evolution, of which any given system or organism is a particular outcome.

Graham Bell, Selection: The Mechanism of Evolution (2008)[42]

  • 'Proof' of a theory has different meanings in science. Proof exists in formal sciences, such as a mathematical proof where symbolic expressions can represent infinite sets and scientific laws having precise definitions and outcomes of the terms. Proof has other meanings as it descends from its Latin roots (provable, probable, probare L.) meaning to test.[43][44] In this sense a proof is an inference to the best or most parsimonious explanation through a publicly verifiable demonstration (a test) of the factual (i.e., observed) and causal evidence from carefully controlled experiments. Stephen Jay Gould argued that Darwin's research, for example, pointed to the coordination of so many pieces of evidence that no other configuration other than his theory could offer a conceivable causal explanation of the facts. In this way natural selection and common ancestry has been proven.[45] 'The classical proof is the improvement of crops and livestock through artificial selection.'[46] Natural selection and other evolutionary theories are also represented in various mathematical proofs, such as the Price equation. To remain consistent with the philosophy of science, however, advancement of theory is only achieved through disproofs of hypotheses.[47]
  • 'Models' are part of the scientific or inferential 'tool-kit' that are constructed out of preexistent theory. Model-based science uses idealized structures or mathematical expressions to strategically create simpler representations of complex worldly systems. Models are designed to resemble the relevant aspects of hypothetical relations in the target systems under investigation.[48][49]
  • 'Validation is a demonstration that a model within its domain of applicability possesses a satisfactory range of accuracy consistent with the intended application of the model.'[50] Models are used in simulation research. For example, evolutionary phylogeneticists run simulations to model the tree like branching process of lineages over time. In turn, this is used to understand the theory of phylogenetics and the methods used to test for relations among genes, species, or other evolutionary units.[51]

See also[edit]

  • Evolution (in List of common misconceptions)
  • Status as a theory (in Objections to evolution)
  • Theory vs. Fact (in Creation–evolution controversy)

References[edit]

  1. ^Gould, Stephen Jay (1981) 'Evolution as Fact and Theory'Discover 2 (May): 34-37; Reprinted in Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes New York: W. W. Norton, 1994, pp. 253-262.
  2. ^See section 2
  3. ^Coyne 2009, p. 3.
  4. ^Mayr 1982, p. 400.
  5. ^Wright 1984.
  6. ^ abcdFutuyma 1998.
  7. ^Moran, Laurence (1993). 'What is Evolution?'. TalkOrigins Archive. Houston, TX: The TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
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  14. ^'scientific fact'. WordNet. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University. 2010. Retrieved 2013-02-21. (an observation that has been confirmed repeatedly and is accepted as true (although its truth is never final))
  15. ^'Fact'. Views of the National Park Service Glossary. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2013-02-21. In science, a fact is an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and for all practical purposes is accepted as 'true.' Truth is science, however, is never final, and what is accepted as a fact today may be modified or even discarded at some point in the future. Source: National Academy of Sciences (1999)Cite uses deprecated parameter dead-url= (help)
  16. ^Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (1996) gives a third meaning of the word 'fact' as '(3) A truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true: ‘Scientists gather facts about plant growth.’'
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  32. ^Wells, Huxley & Wells 1931, pp. 429, 600.
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  36. ^Lewontin, Richard C. (September 1981). 'Evolution/Creation Debate: A Time for Truth'. BioScience. 31 (8): 559. doi:10.1093/bioscience/31.8.559. Reprinted in: Zetterberg 1983, p. 31
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Bibliography[edit]

Evolution The Remarkable History Of A Scientific Theory Pdf Download

  • Bell, Graham (2008). Selection: The Mechanism of Evolution (2nd ed.). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-856972-5. LCCN2007039692. OCLC170034792.
  • Campbell, Neil A. (1990). Biology (2nd ed.). Redwood City, CA: Benjamin Cummings. ISBN978-0-8053-1800-5. LCCN89017952. OCLC20352649.
  • Coyne, Jerry A. (2009). Why Evolution is True. New York: Viking. ISBN978-0-670-02053-9. LCCN2008033973. OCLC233549529.
  • Futuyma, Douglas J. (1998). Evolutionary Biology (3rd ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates. ISBN978-0-87893-189-7. LCCN97037947. OCLC37560100.
  • Gould, Stephen Jay (1994) [Originally published 1983]. 'Evolution as Fact and Theory'. Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes: Further Reflections in Natural History (Reissue ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN978-0-393-31103-7. LCCN82022259. OCLC785709315.
    • —— (May 1981). 'Evolution as Fact and Theory'. Discover. 2 (5): 34–37.
  • Gould, Stephen Jay (2002). The Structure of Evolutionary Theory. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN978-0-674-00613-3. LCCN2001043556. OCLC47869352.
  • James, William (1911). 'Herbert Spencer's Autobiography'. Memories and Studies. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.LCCN11026966. OCLC1573711.
  • Mayr, Ernst (1982). The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance. Translation of John Ray by E. Silk. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. ISBN978-0-674-36445-5. LCCN81013204. OCLC7875904.
  • Mayr, Ernst (1988). Toward a New Philosophy of Biology: Observations of an Evolutionist. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN978-0-674-89665-9. LCCN87031892. OCLC17108004.
  • Miller, Kenneth R. (2007) [Originally published 1999; New York: Cliff Street Books]. Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution. New York: Harper Perennial. ISBN978-0-06-123350-0. LCCN99016754. OCLC813854733.
  • National Academy of Sciences (1999). Science and Creationism: A View from the National Academy of Sciences (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. ISBN978-0-309-06406-4. LCCN99006259. OCLC43803228. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  • Schuh, Randall T. (2000). Biological Systematics: Principles and Applications. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN978-0-8014-3675-8. LCCN99042377. OCLC42027466.
  • Spencer, Herbert (1865). First Principles of a New System of Philosophy. New York: D. Appleton & Company. LCCN15024188. OCLC3015414.
  • Wells, H. G.; Huxley, Julian; Wells, G. P. (1931) [Originally published 1929–1930]. The Science of Life. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc.LCCN31003561. OCLC968712.
  • Wiley, Edward O.; Lieberman, Bruce S. (2011). Phylogenetics: Theory and Practice of Phylogenetic Systematics (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9781118017883. ISBN978-0-470-90596-8. LCCN2010044283. OCLC741259265.
  • Wilson, Edward O. (1998). Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge. New York: Knopf. ISBN978-0-679-45077-1. LCCN97002816. OCLC36528112.
  • Wright, Sewall (1984) [Originally published 1968]. Genetic and Biometric Foundations. Evolution and the Genetics of Populations. 1. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN978-0-226-91038-3. LCCN67025533. OCLC246124737.
  • Zetterberg, J. Peter, ed. (1983). Evolution Versus Creationism: The Public Education Controversy. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. ISBN978-0-89774-061-6. LCCN82018795. OCLC9393689.

Evolution The Remarkable History Of A Scientific Theory Pdf

Further reading[edit]

  • Branch, Glenn; Mead, Louise (July 2008). ''Theory' in Theory and Practice'. Evolution: Education and Outreach. 1 (3): 287–289. doi:10.1007/s12052-008-0056-5. ISSN1936-6426.
  • Dobzhansky, Theodosius (March 1973). 'Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution'(PDF). The American Biology Teacher. 35 (3): 125–129. CiteSeerX10.1.1.324.2891. doi:10.2307/4444260. ISSN0002-7685. JSTOR4444260.
  • Lewis, Ralph W. (Winter 1987–1988). 'Theory and the Fact of Evolution'(PDF). Creation/Evolution Journal. 8 (22): 34–37. ISSN0738-6001. Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  • National Academy of Sciences; Institute of Medicine (2008). Science, Evolution, and Creationism. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. ISBN978-0-309-10586-6. LCCN2007015904. OCLC123539346. Retrieved 2015-01-19.

External links[edit]

  • 'Evolving Ideas: Isn't Evolution Just a Theory?'. Evolution Library (Web resource). Evolution. Boston, MA: WGBH Educational Foundation; Clear Blue Sky Productions, Inc. 2001. OCLC48165595. Retrieved 2015-01-21. Video requires QuickTime or RealPlayer plugin for viewing.
  • Isaak, Mark, ed. (September 7, 2006). 'Index to Creationist Claims: Claim CB910: No new species have been observed'. TalkOrigins Archive. Houston, TX: The TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 2015-01-21. Response to the claim that no examples of speciation have been observed.
  • 'Is Evolution a Theory or a Fact?'. Evolution Resources from the National Academies. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  • Howard, Jules (2016-02-05). 'Do whales have nipples? Why discussing evolution in schools can occasionally be tricky'. the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
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