Theory of evolution
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
The theory of evolution is an explanation for the origin of the cosmos and life on Earth, more formally known as the General Theory of Evolution. It was derived from atheistic, naturalistic presupposition, although some theists now espouse the idea (see theistic evolution). The theory encompasses the processes of biological evolution, the origin of life, and aspects of cosmic evolution via the Big Bang.
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Assumptions of Evolution
The general theory of evolution holds to the following historical claims:
- Big Bang: All matter in the universe started as a point of infinite density and temperature known as a singularity, which experienced a rapid inflation of matter that eventually evolved into stars, galaxies, and planets.
- Abiogenesis: That life on Earth arose spontaneously from non-living chemicals into an as-yet-undescribed self-replicating protocell;
- Common descent: That all organisms on Earth are related to each other, and descended from a single spontaneously-formed protocell;
- Cosmic chronology: That the universe, Earth, and life on Earth are old to the order of millions and billions of years;
Evolution is not merely a biological theory of little significance. It is a world view—the world view diametrically opposing the Christian world view. Therefore Christians ignore it or compromise with it at great peril! —Dr. Henry Morris, The Long War Against God, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1989, p. 23
The general theory of evolution should not be confused with biological evolution, which is simply the process whereby characteristics change within a population over time. While this process is a demonstrable, repeatable, observable fact acknowledged by both creationists and evolutionists, the theoretical aspect of common descent is an unfalsifiable historical claim based on unfalsifiable philosophical assumptions, and is disputed by creationists. There are a number of common arguments against the theory of evolution that creation scientists possess.
The theory of evolution is a violation of well established scientific and natural laws, such as the law of biogenesis and the second law of thermodynamics. Thus, evolution is neither scientific nor natural. On the otherhand, special creation also falls outside the natural and scientific realm but suggests there are no other adequate models for the origin of life.
| From Talk.Origins Q. I thought evolution was just a theory. Why do you call it a fact? |
Sub-categories of the Theory of Evolution
Under the heading of the theory of evolution lie a number of distinct beliefs about its historical course and metaphysical nature.
Historical Sub-categories
The following are different views of the course of evolutionary history:
- Gradualism: Historically, life evolved gradually through innumerable small changes and mutations;
- Punctuated equilibrium: Historically, life evolved in brief spurts in response to environmental stress;
- Macromutation: Historically, life evolved through a tiny number of enormous one-time mutations that created "hopeful monsters," which were then refined by natural selection to suit their environment;
Metaphysical Sub-categories
The following are different views of the metaphysical underpinnings of evolution:
- Theistic evolution: Evolution was guided by God;
- Deterministic evolution: The universe and life evolved as they did as a result of determined scientific laws; no other outcome was possible;
- Spontaneous evolution: The universe and life evolved as they did due to chance random events; the observed outcome is only one of many that were conceivably possible;
Claims of the General Theory of Evolution
Common Descent
- Main Article: Common Descent
The theory of evolution purports that the process of biological evolution acting over hundreds of millions of years has given rise to the plethora of organisms on Earth, and therefore evolutionists believe that all lifeforms share a common ancestry.
Darwinists assert that since all living things share a common cellular makeup, and because offspring are different from their parents, that this process working backwards would see all living things sharing a common ancestor. This is neither observable or proven, but is nonetheless often touted as being a scientific fact.
Abiogenesis
- Main Article: Abiogenesis
It is furthermore believed that life began as a result of spontaneous chemical reactions, which gave rise to a single ancestral cell known as the last universal ancestor. It is believed this hypothetical organisms developed either here on Earth or elsewhere through a process commonly called abiogenesis, a strictly naturalistic process that states life can come from non-life. This is completely contradictory to what is already a very well established sciencitific law of biogenesis.
The theory of evolution can be defined as follows:
the theory that all the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic form. (Kerkut, Implications of Evolution, 1960, pg. 157)
Big Bang Cosmology
- Main Article: Big Bang
According to the general theory of evolution, all of the matter in the Universe started as a point of infinite density and temperature known as the singularity. It is believed that approximately 13.7 billion years ago, the singularity experienced a rapid inflation of matter that eventually evolved into stars, galaxies, planets. This event, known as the Big Bang was not an explosion in the conventional sense of the term, but an expansion of space and time. However, like an explosion, it was highly energetic and chaotic.
Issues in evidence
Fossil Evidence
- Main Article: Fossil sorting
Darwinian evolutionists use the fossil record as evidence that organisms have evolved over millions of years. It is an observable fact that in the fossil record, organisms are typically found within a limited span of layers, and frequently above or below other specific fossils. Uniformitarian geologists assert that these layers represent vast geologic ages, and are the result of the slow deposition of fossils in rock strata over millions of years, with earlier fossils being buried first, and thus deeper in the record.
Quote from: Refuting Evolution 2, By Jonathan Sarfati - It is vitally important that words such as "evolution" be used accurately and consistently. The theory of "evolution" that the evolutionists are really promoting, and which creationists oppose, is the idea that particles turned into people over time, without need for an intelligent Designer. The evolutionist Kerkut accurately defined this "general theory of evolution" (GTE) as "the theory that all the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic form." He continued: "The evidence which supports this is not sufficiently strong to allow us to consider it as anything more than a working hypothesis."1However, many evolutionary propagandists are guilty of the deceitful practice of equivocation, that is, switching the meaning of a single word (evolution) part way through an argument. A common tactic, "bait-and-switch," is simply to produce examples of change over time, call this "evolution," then imply that the GTE is thereby proven or even essential, and creation disproved.
- G.A. Kerkut, Implications of Evolution (Oxford, UK Pergamon, 1960), p 157.
Related References
- Myths of Origin and the Theory of Evolution. by Paul Gosselin
- Theory of evolution by Conservapedia
- Evolution by Wikipedia
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