Faculty Senate
Executive Committee Statement on Evolution (January 2007)
(modified from the Department of Zoology statement)
Biological evolution, defined as genetic changes in
species over time, is easily observed in the world around us; for example
insects evolve resistance to pesticides and new diseases arise when viruses
evolve the ability to invade new hosts. The theory of evolution explains the mechanisms (e.g. non-random natural
selection acting on random mutation) by which organisms change over time,
become more complex, and diversify into new species.
In popular speech, the word 'theory' means 'a guess', or
‘hypothesis’. However, in science, 'theory' refers to an explanation supported
by facts. A well-tested hypothesis rises to the level of theory when it has been
tested repeatedly without being falsified. Thus, a theory is as close to the
truth as science can come. This is because scientific theories are rigorously
subjected to the test of new knowledge, often gained by advances in technology
that were unavailable when the explanation was first proposed. Hence, even the
most successful theories are, by definition, never proven, although any
scientific theory can be refuted by facts that are at odds with its
predictions. It is this quality that most distinguishes a scientific concept
from a non-scientific one. Because science relies only on explanations that
have the property that they can be falsified by testing, other kinds of
explanations are beyond the scope of science because they cannot be falsified
by empirical data.
Evolutionary theory 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 overwhelming support among the scientific community about the fact of evolution, namely that organisms
are observed to change genetically over time and can evolve into new species.
We oppose any attempt to weaken scientific standards with
respect to evolution, to redefine the scientific process so as to exclude the
requirement that explanations be falsifiable, or to broaden the science
curriculum to include non-scientific explanations. In an expanding global
economy that is increasingly driven by science and technology, it is essential
that our children receive a first-class science education. 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.
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