Evolution Redux
  by Phil Stahl

In a recent issue of U.S. News & World Report, the late biologist Stephen J. Gould was asked in an interview about the tremendous resistance to evolution. Gould replied that the whole phenomenon of "resistance" is peculiarly American, and that no other Western nation of "any strength or power" had such problems.

This may again speak to the scientific literacy of Americans. Surveys taken at various times (including two years ago by Britain's New Scientist) also seem to confirm our worst fears, i.e.:

- 47% of Americans (including 25% of college grads) believe humans did not evolve, but were god-created
- 60%, or three out of five, believe that creationism in some form (including the discredited Intelligent Design Theory) should be taught alongside evolution
- A majority believe humans co-existed with dinosaurs

These dismal opinions have been reflected recently in the local press, where a number of correspondents have decried the basis for evolution, or accused its backers of advocating strange stances.

One writer went so far as to insist evolution is based on "wishful thinking". Actually, it's founded on 150 years of data, facts and evidence -- including genetic -- that supports it This includes using the data and evidence to make and confirm new predictions. This is the hallmark of a THEORY, which I fear too many confuse with speculation. It's also what determines true science, as opposed to say, pseudo-science like "Intelligent Design."

Others insisted that scientists either "deny" God -- because they can't prove he exists -- or engage in "wishful thinking" to avoid mention of a deity altogether. However, in the scientific process god or deity is regarded as redundant, since it doesn't improve the quality of predictions, or their confirmation.

Another writer asked in postured defiance -- as if evolution were incapable of answering: "Have you seen anything evolve?" Actually, we have multifold evidence for various species, organisms.

For example, the random substitution of amino bases in the flu virus. This results in the evolution of new strains almost yearly, and hence requires new vaccines! The fruit fly (drosophilia melanogaster) also exhibits point mutations and change in characteristics -- that's an example of micro-evolution. Similarly, we have genetic evidence that two ape chromosomes (identified as 2p and 2q in their genome) underwent fusion to yield the human chromosome 2. This is why apes display 24 pairs of chromosomes and humans 23. This genetic evidence points to clear evolution of apes and humans from a common ancestor.

Yet another writer insisted that the end product of science is to validate the established "order" of the cosmos. Totally absent from consideration is the fact that the order paradigm is itself over-extended and overdone. Its application to the cosmos is now recognized as the byproduct of a bygone era wherein astronomers didn't have access to the wide array of instruments available today.

The giant relic structures discovered in 1992, for example, aren't "orderly" in form or distribution. Exploding and colliding galaxies aren't "orderly" and dark matter -- which probably comprises 90-97% of the mass of the cosmos -- can't be assessed for "order" at all.

Meanwhile, "Intelligent Design" attempts to garner credibility by appealing to people's ignorance -- never bothering to mention how archaic the "design-order" template has become.

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