Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution

Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution

This is a classic essay (from 1973) by the geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky. The writing could probably use a little tightening up, but I do think that it is worth reading. It's so easy to fall into creationsist "traps" when arguing with them, and the fact that they are having some success pushing their agenda onto school boards should be a big red flag for all of us.

This is not about freedom of religion. While it is true that evolution is a "theory", this word is misleadingly used in creationist rhetoric. They imply that it is just as plausible as any other guess about the origin of the world, and it is only the vested interests in the scientific community that pass it off as fact.

As Dobzhansky points out, the Copernican theory is just a theory too- no one has directly observed the earth revolving around the sun. But all that we have built, discovered, engineered and learned about our world and our bodies, all of the advances of technology, medicine, meterology, astrophysics, and so forth rests on similar "theories". There is simply no justification for stating that any other guess is just as valid (and just as deserving of equal time in the classroom) as the established theories of good science.

When things are obviously critical, we don't call for "equal time" for alternative viewpoints that make no sense compared to established scientific theories. You don't want your surgeon to give equal time to viewpoints that "compete" with the theory of the circulation of the blood, or of the germ theory of disease. You don't want your military commanders to assume that since God is on our side, we don't have to bother studying the enemy or planning battles. Much of the theory of Newtonian physics has been shown to be incomplete (as the creationists point out about evolution). However, we still rely on it when trying to stop our car at a red light...

The nation went into a panic in 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched satellite into earth orbit. We quickly ratcheted up spending on education, made the teaching of science a priority in our schools, and probably sowed the seeds for the next generation of scientists. Among other effects, this led to America's current technological and military prowess.

When textbook manufacturers move to prepare books for our schools with unscientific, faith-based content, they do a trememdous disservice to our children and our country. And since the southern school districts tend to buy in bulk cooperatives, no publisher will be willing to risk losing such a massive order by ignoring these mounting concerns. Blue state parents may soon find their children bringing home books that give "equal time" to creationist religious doctrine, because there are no others available.

This might look like a fringe movement, but this has far-reaching implications. This is far more important than a monument to the ten commandments in a courtroom. This is our future. Don't let them get away with it.