OU Department of Zoology Statement on
Evolution, passed by unanimous vote of the faculty 9/27/2006
Science is a powerful way of
generating new knowledge about the natural world through observation and
hypothesis testing. If our children are to tackle the increasingly complex
biological challenges facing society, both medical and environmental, they need
the best possible science education. Sadly, even as
Although in popular speech the word
'theory' means 'a guess', in science ‘theory’ refers to an explanation
supported by fact. Although even the most successful theory can never be
proven, any scientific theory can be refuted by facts that are at odds with its
predictions. Indeed, the most useful theories are those that generate many
testable predictions and thus leave themselves particularly susceptible to
being proven wrong. It is this quality that most distinguishes a scientific concept
from a non-scientific one.
The theory of evolution explains the mechanisms (e.g. non-random
natural selection acting on random mutation) by which organisms change over
time (microevolution), become more complex, and diversify into new species (macroevolution).
Evolution is the central unifying theory of biology, supported by independent
evidence from paleontology, geology, genetics, molecular biology and genomics,
developmental biology, biogeography and behavioral ecology. Even though new information
from nearly every field of science has been applied, attempts to falsify
evolutionary theory using the scientific method have failed. As is true for any
active science, the details of the theory are continually debated as new data
are collected. However, there is no controversy in the scientific community
about the fact of evolution.
Biological evolution, defined as
genetic change in species over time, is an observable fact. It is a fact that
insects evolve resistance to pesticides, that new diseases arise when viruses
evolve the ability to invade new hosts, and that humans have created new
species using the same mechanisms that produce species naturally. Furthermore,
the evidence based on facts from molecular biology and geology (i.e. gene
sequences, dated fossils) clearly indicates that all living species, including
our own, share a common ancestor that is over 3 billion years old.
In science, not all explanations are
equal. By the rigorous criteria of science, supernatural mechanisms, including
Intelligent Design creationism, offer no scientific alternative to evolution
because they do not generate testable predictions about how species change or
diversify. To argue that supernatural explanations merit discussion in science
classrooms so that 'both sides' of the issue are taught is to advocate that
non-science be legitimized as science. In an era where scientific solutions to
complex problems are of first priority, this is dangerous logic.
We thus oppose any attempt to exclude
evolution from the science curricula or to redefine science to include the
supernatural. In this, we stand with our colleagues in the National Academy of
Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and other
scientific organizations. We urge all citizens to learn about science and work
to ensure that our children receive a first-class science education.
Useful resources:
· American
Association for the Advancement of Science
· American Institute
of Biological Sciences
· National Academy
of Sciences
· National Association of Biology
Teachers
· National Center for Science Education
· National Science
Teachers Association
· Oklahomans for
Excellence in Science Education
· Evolution, Science, and Society - white paper
supported by major biology societies
· TB Fordham Foundation - assessment of state curricula
standards.
· SfN Statement on Evolution and ID