Humanism Today
Evolution
Versus Creation
The subject
of
this
issue of Humanism
Today
is
"Science
and
Humanism."
Obviously, not all aspects of this subject could be covered in
the talks that form the basis for the articles herein. Although there is an arti-
cle on evolution,
there is no discussion of evolution/creation
controversy.
This issue is, it seems to me, one of special importance within the science
and Humanism arena. This is because many of the creationinst
opponents
of evolution view the teaching of evolution in the schools as some sort of a
plot sponsored by "secular humanists." We must make it clear at this point
that it is not secular humanists,
but scientists themselves who are behind the
teaching of the evolutionary viewpoint and against the teaching of the crea-
tionist viewpoint
in the science classes of America.
The reasons for this are quite simple. Science is a discipline. As such, it
has certain rules, methods and procedures
that must be learned and follow-
ed. One of the central
ones
is "the
scientific method."
Anyone who
presents a theory or an hypothesis
in science is expected to test it using the
scientific method. Any other approach
is not allowed within science. The
problem with creationism,
as scientists see it, is that it refuses to play by the
rules of science, and indeed takes a diametrically opposite approach
to that
required
in science. Creationists
are, of course,
free to take any approach
they want, but if they do not play by the rules of science, they should not ex-
pect that what they say will be taken seriously as science or be taught
in
science classes.
Creationism
is basically a criticism of evolutionary
theory.
I t is well and
good to criticise anything
in science. However,
a criticism is not an alter-
native explanstion. When they are pressed,
the creationists will admit that
they do have an alternative explanation.
It consists (for most creationists) of
an earth that is about 10,000 years old, a universal (whole earthwide)
flood
having occurred,
and a single springing int