Download Misconceptions About Evolution

“Truths & Misconceptions About
Evolution”
Get out your spirals and title your
notes.
Adapted from the UC Berkley website:
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/misconceptions_faq.php
Disclaimer
You are free to chose your beliefs.
But you should at least educate yourself on
topics and subjects you do not believe in, so you
can intelligently / educationally defend your
beliefs.
Why we teach Evolution
Poll: What is the definition of Evolution?
• Correct definition of
evolution chosen by 48%:
– Humans and apes have a
common ancestor
• Incorrect definition chosen
by 32% of the population:
– Humans evolved from
apes
• Unsure Population: 20%
Why We Teach Evolution: Public Opinion
• 83% of Americans
polled want Evolution
taught in public
schools.
• 70% believe that
evolution is
compatible with a
belief in God
From: People for the American
Way poll (2000)
Americans with an unanswered / incorrect definition of Evolution (52%
of public)
Americans who chose the correct definition of Evolution (48% of public)
Analysis and Conclusion
• The majority of people who
understand evolution and those
who do not understand evolution
still believed it should be taught in
school.
• But those who do not understand
evolution still voted strongly against
it being taught.
Conclusion: A less complete
understanding of Evolution leads to
supporting its elimination from
science classes.
AKA: If we don’t teach evolution, you
don’t understand evolution and
don’t see the importance of
How Educated are you about
Evolution?
The Agree and Disagree Game
On the right hand side of your spiral simply answer
each statement about evolution with your opinion of
“agree” or “disagree”
Evolution is a change in inherited, successful
characteristics of populations over generations.
Agree or Disagree
Evolution is a theory about how life began
Agree or Disagree
Charles Darwin, the
scientists, who proposed
the Theory of Evolution &
Natural Selection was not
educated about Christianity
and did not believe in God.
Agree or Disagree
Evolution is like a climb up the ladder of
progress; organisms at the top are better and
keep getting better
Agree or Disagree
Evolution means life changes by ‘chance’
Agree or Disagree
Natural Selection involves organisms trying to adapt
Agree or Disagree
Evolution is ‘just’ a theory
Agree or Disagree
Evolution is a theory in crisis and more and
more scientists are losing confidence in it.
Agree or Disagree
Fossils and fossil records help disprove
evolution.
Agree or Disagree
Evolutionary theory is
incomplete and is
currently unable to
give an explanation of
life.
“Evolution changes individual
organisms and populations”
• Organisms cannot change their traits
• If an organism has a more “fit” or “desirable” trait their
GENES will most likely be passed on to more offspring
• More offspring means more of the population will have
that organisms trait
Agree or Disagree
Evolution is not
science because it is
not observable or
testable.
Agree or Disagree
Most educated people reject Darwin’s theory of
natural selection and evolution.
Agree or Disagree
The reveal
“Evolution is a theory about
the origin of life.”
• Evolution is the theory
about how life changed
after its origin.
• “Origin of Species” not
the “Origin of Life”
Charles Darwin, the scientists, who proposed the
Theory of Evolution & Natural Selection was not
educated about Christianity and did not believe in
God.
• Growing up Charles
Darwin attended the
Church of England and
attended the Christ’s
College of Cambridge.
• He completed his
degree, but was never
Ordained.
“Evolution is like a climb up the ladder of
progress; organisms at the top are better and
keep getting better
• Natural selection weeds
out individuals that are
unfit in a situation.
• For evolution, “good
enough” is good
enough.
• Being “Fit” is connected
to the environment, not
to progress.
”
“Evolution means that life
changed ‘by chance.’”
• Random mutations are
ultimately the source of
genetic variation.
• BUT, natural selection, is
not random.
• EXAMPLE: the streamline
of these tuna is no
accident, a more
streamlined shape allows
these fish to move faster
through the water.
“Natural selection involves
organisms ‘trying’ to adapt.”
• Natural selection leads
to adaptation, but the
process doesn’t involve
“trying.”
• Either an individual has
genes that are good
enough to survive and
reproduce, or it doesn’t.
• Can’t get right genes by
“trying.”
“Natural selection gives organisms what
they ‘need.’”
• Natural selection has no
intentions or senses; it
cannot sense what a
species “needs.”
• If a population has a
variation of a gene that
allows those individuals
to survive better, they
will produce more
offspring, and the
population will evolve.
“Evolution is ‘just’ a theory.”
• Theory – in science, a wellsubstantiated explanation of
some aspect of the natural
world
• Scientific theories are
explanations that are based
on lines of evidence, enable
valid predictions, and have
been tested in many ways.
“Evolution is a theory in crisis and is collapsing
as scientists lose confidence in it.”
• Scientists debate HOW
evolution took place,
not WHETHER it took
place.
• It is the debates of HOW
evolution took place
that are often
misinterpreted as
debates about
WHETHER evolution
occurs.
“fossil record disprove evolution”
• Evolutionary biologists do not expect that all transitional
forms will be found, because lots of organisms don’t
fossilize well and environmental conditions for forming
good fossils are not that common.
• BUT Scientists HAVE found complete fossil records
showing gradual changes overtime.
“Evolutionary theory is incomplete and is currently
unable to give an explanation of life.”
• Evolutionary science is a
work in progress.
• New discoveries are made
and explanations adjusted
when necessary.
• We do know a great deal
about:
– The history of life
– The pattern of lineagesplitting through time
– The mechanisms that caused
these changes
“Evolution changes individual
organisms and populations”
• Organisms cannot change their traits
• If an organism has a more “fit” or “desirable” trait their
GENES will most likely be passed on to more offspring
• More offspring means more of the population will have
that organisms trait
“Evolution is not science because it
is not observable or testable.”
• Science is
accomplished by
gathering evidence
from the real world
and inferring how
things work.
• For example:
• An astronomer cannot
hold the stars in his
hand.
• A geologist cannot go
back in time.
• Artificial selection among guppies
can demonstrate microevolution in
the laboratory.
Evolution of Guppy Population
Tank with Course Sand
Tank with Fine Sand
“Most educated individuals have
rejected ‘Darwinism’.”
• SO FAR, there have been no credible challenges to the basic Darwin
principle that evolution exists, based on natural selection choosing
more “fit” variations in populations and that different species share
common ancestors.