darwinism (feb 2009)
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Is Evolution a fact proven by science?TRANSCRIPT
Darwinism
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References
Newsweek magazine, July 27, 1998, “Science finds God”
Time magazine, December 4, 1995, “Evolution’s Big Bang”
Various books and various articles from the Internet
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Definition
Widely accepted definition:
“Evolution is a fully natural process, inherent in
the physical properties of the universe, by which
life arose in the first place, and by which all living
things, past and present, have since developed,
divergently and progressively.” (George G
Simpson, “The World into which Darwin led us”, 1960)
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TWO Theories of Evolution
Terms coined by G A Kerkut, British physiologist and evolutionist in 1960
The Special Theory of Evolution also known as “micro-evolution”
The General Theory of Evolution also known as “macro-evolution”
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Micro-evolution
Changes occur throughout life but within narrow limits
Animal breeders can select characteristics to breed in stock, dogs, cats, plants, flowers, etc - process of “artificial selection”
Key observation: no change crosses “phylogenetic” boundaries (“according to its kind”)
Many breeds of dog, but they remain dogs
Micro-evolution is not denied or challengedby anyone
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Macro-evolution
Darwin observed the effects of micro-evolutionary changes in artificial selection and extended that principle into a much larger and broader concept of “natural selection”
“Theory that all living forms in the world arose from a single source which itself came from inorganic form” (Kerkut)
Term “evolution” now used synonymously as macro-evolution
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Of brown and white bears
An illustration used by evolutionists
Begin with a large population of brown bears in the artic region
At some point in time a mutation occurred and out came a white bear
The white bear can hunt its prey much better than brown bears because it blends very well with the white environment so that hunting for food is easier
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Of brown and white bears
Hence the white bear has better chances of survival, and produces more white bears
That being a good mutation, over time the white bear population grows while that of the brown bears dwindles
Eventually all bears in the artic region are white
Evolution held up as a logical explanation why bears are white in the artic region
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Of brown and white bears
BUT, evolutionists fail to point out that the brown bears evolved over time into white bears – not white cats, or birds or fish.
Illustration is one of micro-evolution at work – not of macro-evolution.
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Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection
So, over eons and eons, new, better, more complex species evolve from lower species – macro-changes
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The Darwinian Evolution Model
Gradual evolution of simple phyla into more complex ones
From simple invertebrates to worms, to molluscs, to vertebrates
All encompassing - applies to ALL life, ALL species
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The Darwinian Evolution Model
A “natural” process
Evolution from random mutations, through natural selection, to macro-changes
Absence of any outside force to direct changes - atheistic in principle
Survival of the fittest
Require time - eons of time - 100-200 million years - because of dependence on random processes for gradual changes
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Dependence on chance
Compared to climbing a cliff
Get to the top in a single jump highly improbable
But step by step – each small step more probable
So, over long period of time, evolve
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Darwinian Evolution Model
The Darwinian Tree
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Acceptance
List of distinguished scientists make anyscientist who disputes evolution look foolish Pierre-Paul Grasse, French zoologistGeorge Gaylord Simpson, distinguished professor of
paleontology at Harvard
Carl Sagan, distinguished astronomer at Cornell University
Konrad Lorenz, eminent anthropologist
Rene Dubos, leading ecologist
Richard Goldschmidt, noted geneticist
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A Proven Fact?
“[Darwin] rendered evolution inescapable as a fact, comprehensible as a process, all-embracing as a concept.” (Sir Julian Huxley, “The Emergence of
Darwinism”, 1960)
“Today the theory of evolution is an accepted fact for everyone except a fundamentalist minority.” (Dr Stephen
Jay Gould, Harvard paleontologist, “Darwinism Defined: the Difference between Fact and Theory”, 1987)
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And yet…
“I am well aware that there is scarcely a single
point discussed in this volume on which facts
cannot be adduced, often apparently leading to
conclusions directly opposite to those I have
arrived. A fair result could be obtained only by
fully stating and balancing the facts on both sides
of each equation.” (Charles Darwin,
1859, in the Introduction to The Origin of Species)
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Darwinism in Crisis
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Serious Problems with Natural Selection
Cannot explain how life originated
No evidence of change in phylum
Contradicts observation that entire cosmos is progressing from order to disorder (entropy)
Chance cannot explain how life ascended from simple and lower intelligence to very complex and higher intelligence
Who or what is directing the climb of species?
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Darwinism in Question
Old Darwinian model no longer valid since mid-80’s
Evolution biology in early stages of a paradigm shift
Natural selection is increasingly qualified and over-shadowed
Growing consensus that natural selection cannot explain order
What happened to this “proven fact”?
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Tales from the Crypt
Fossil record considered to be the scientific evidence of evolution
Pierre-P. Grasse considers evolution to be based “primarily on documents provided by paleontology, i.e. the [fossil] history of the living world . . . . only paleontology can provide the evidence of evolution and reveal its course or mechanisms.”
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Dead Men Tell No Tales
Limitations of fossil record
The fossil evidence cannot repeat evolution
“evolutionary happenings are unique,
unrepeatable and irreversible”, and
hence impossible to prove (Theodosius
Dobzhansky, “American Scientist”, 1957)
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Evolution’s Archilles’ Heel
“If it could be shown that
this fact [gaps between
widely distinct groups] had
always existed, the fact
would be fatal to the
doctrine of evolution.” (Thomas Huxley, 1882)Consider the next most intelligent creature next to man. Why such a gap?
The Missing Link
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Evolution’s Archilles’ Heel
From Darwin himself:
“[Since] innumerable transitional forms must have existed, why do we not find them imbedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth? Why is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links?”
“. . . why if species have descended from other species by insensibly fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms?”
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Another Archilles’ Heel
A dependence on eons and eons of time for probability to work its course and effect the evolutionary changes
The need for long periods of time is implied in the meaning of the word “evolve”
If it can be shown that there is not enough time, the theory will be discredited
Eg probability for abiogenesis will require a time far longer than the age of the universe
Eg time it takes for species to appear on the scene is far shorter than what evolution would predict
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Recent Discoveries
60,000 fossils discovered in 1909 but was “buried” in the Smithsonian until mid-80’s – an attempt to suppress evidence?
Discoveries of major fossil beds since 1987 all around the world
There are now 250 million cataloged fossils of 250 million fossil species
Considered by many scientists to be a completeand adequate portrait of the geologic record, i.e. the evidence is complete
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One Fatal Blow
The evidence contradicts Darwin’s theory
“The known fossil record fails to document a single example of phyletic evolution” (Dr S M Stanley, John Hopkins University, 1979)
“no evidence of transitional form” (Dr David Raup, University of Chicago, 1978)
“extreme rarity of transitional forms” “Most species exhibit no directional change during their tenure on earth” (Dr Stephen Jay Gould, 1977)
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Another Fatal Blow
Patterns in the fossil record do not show gradual steady change over time as Darwin predicted, but sharp jolts of change which cannot be explained by natural selection
“The most thorough study of species formation in the fossil record confirms that new species appear with a most un-Darwinian abruptness.” (R Kerr, “Did Darwin Get It All Right?”, Science, 1995)
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Another Fatal Blow
There was a “big-bang” of life ALL over the earth, known as the Cambrian explosion (530 million years ago *)
Life did NOT start in just one place and gradually populate the whole earth
Life did not start small and then grow
It exploded everywhere in a short period of time!
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The Cambrian Explosion - The Data
The Theory – continuous evolution over time from single source
The Data – sudden appearance all over – and not from single source
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The Cambrian Explosion - The Data
Sharp Jolt, Sudden
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Current Evolution Model
ALL animal phyla appeared simultaneously From simple to complex, all appeared and evolved
simultaneously - not with simple evolving into complex
There are NO transitional phyla - no elusive missing links
ALL further development was confined to variations within each phylum. No new phylum has since appeared.
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Current Evolution Model
Development took place in a short period (5 million years) Not over 100-200 million years - not
the eons and eons of time required by the theory
Not enough time for Darwin’s random mutations to work the evolutionary changes
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Current Evolution Model
Data from anatomy, molecular biology and fossil record show that developmental path is pre-determined and channeled.
There is “an astonishing conservation in basic evolutionary pathways” (Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard Paleontologist, “Darwinian Fundamentalists”, 1997)
Statistically impossible for chance to produce the changes
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r-Evolution in the Darwinian world
“Virtually every major
discovery has put deep
cracks in the conventional
wisdom and forced scientists to
concoct new theories, amid
furious debate.” (Time magazine,
March 14, 1994)
Desperate attempt to provide explanations for current model
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A Monstrous Concoction
In 1940, Dr Richard Goldschmidt (Geneticist from
University of California) proposed the idea of “systemic mutations” that produced “hopeful monsters”
Once in a while, large scale changes occur
Produced a good mutation with chance to survive
Mutation then gradually evolve by natural selection with small changes into new phylum
Initially rejected and held with contempt by other evolutionists
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Resurrected Monsters
“Hopeful Monster” resurrected at various times
Quantum Evolution (Dr George G Simpson, Harvard, 1944)
Punctuated Equilibrium, (Dr Stephen Jay Gould, 1972)
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Punctured Theories
What would trigger large scale changes followed by periods of stability and no change? Why should this be?
All mutations are harmful – never yet seen a hopeful mutation that can evolve in new species
Need two good mutations - male and female - in order to propagate; even greater improbability
Still does not explain the “Big Bang”
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A Blind Faith
Blind Faith Reality
In experiments on theorigin of life
These experiments only confirm theneed for intelligence right at thebeginning
In the primitiveenvironment of the earth
Harshness of a hostile environmentwould never allow the primodial soupto form
Any form of early life would perish inthe hostile world
In the natural laws Laws of thermodynamics andbiogenesis actually deny possibility ofspontaneous generation
As pointed out by R L Wysong
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A Blind Faith
Blind Faith Reality
In probabilities Probabilities of evolution actually deny its possibility
In L-proteins (left handed molecules)
Defy chance formation
In the formation of DNA code
Chaos if DNA formed spontaneously by random
In mutations and natural selection
Both mutation and natural selection contradict each other
In gradual transformations Reality is conservation
In time to do miracles Infinite time cannot bring about the impossible
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A Blind Faith
Blind Faith Reality
In the fossil record Consistently disprove evolution No transitional form
In future scientific revelations
Consistently present more dilemmas for the evolutionists to resolve
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Science Fiction
Some scientists now embracing “panspermia” – life came from outer space, or was planted on earth by extra-terrestrial intelligence
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An Ideological Struggle
“From the earliest stages of Greek thought man has been eager to discover some natural cause of evolution, and to abandon the supernatural intervention in the order of nature.” (Henry Fairfield Osburn, 1918)
“Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it because the only alternative is special creation, and that is unthinkable.” (Sir Arthur
Keith)
(Sir Julian Huxley, 1960)“God is unnecessary.”
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So is Darwinism fact or fiction?