Who Are Darwin's
Critics Now?
Accompanies the
Viewer's Guide, Chapter 7-A, "The Creation-Evolution Controversy
and U.S. Science Education"
Overview
Activity 1 of this series
asked students to investigate why many of Darwin's contemporaries
objected to his theory of evolution. This activity is similar--only
now the focus will be on our own time. As in Darwin's time, Darwinian
theory is opposed not only by biblical literalists, but also by
a wide variety of religious believers and scientists. In this research
project, students will learn about some of Darwin's current religious
and scientific critics, and why they object to his theory.
Learning Objectives
- Students will be
aware that Darwin's theory has drawn opposition from a broad diversity
of critics.
- Students will be
able to identify some of Darwin's scientific and religious critics,
as well as some of the critics' objections to Darwin's theory.
Directions
Hand out the worksheet
on the following two pages and go over worksheet directions with
students.
Who Are Darwin's
Critics Now?
Directions
The following people
have voiced criticisms of Darwin's theory of evolution. They
represent a wide range of perspectives, and some, such as Stephen
J. Gould and Niles Eldredge, still consider themselves defenders
of Darwinism.
David Berlinski
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Michael
Behe
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William
Dembski
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Michael
Denton
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Niles Eldredge
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Brian Goodwin
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Stephen
Jay Gould
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Mae-Wan
Ho
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Phillip
Johnson
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Søren
Løvtrup
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Henry Morris
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Colin Patterson
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David Raup
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Peter Saunders
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Jonathan
Wells
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Choose five people
from the list above and answer the following questions about
each:
- Who is he
or she?
- What is his
or her occupation?
- What is he
or she best known for?
- What are
his or her objections to Darwin's theory?
How do your answers
compare to how opponents of evolution have been portrayed throughout
the Evolution video series?
Sources
You can find information
about these people on the Web and in a number of printed books
and articles. Here are a few places to look.
- Michael Behe.
Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution.
New York: Free Press, 1996.
- David Berlinski.
"The Deniable Darwin." Commentary 101 (June 1996).
http://www.arn.org/docs/berlinski/db_deniabledarwin0696.htm
- William
A. Dembski. Intelligent Design: The Bridge between Science
and Theology. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
- William
A. Dembski, Ed. Mere Creation: Science, Faith & Intelligent
Design. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1998.
- Michael
Denton. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis. Bethesda, Maryland:
Adler and Adler, 1986.
- Niles Eldredge
and Stephen Jay Gould. "Punctuated Equilibria: An Alternative
to Phyletic Gradualism." In T. J. M. Schopf, ed., Models
in Paleobiology, 82-115. San Francisco: Freeman Cooper,
1972.
- Niles Eldredge.
Reinventing Darwin: The Great Debate at the High Table of
Evolutionary Theory. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1995.
- Niles Eldredge.
Time Frames: The Evolution of Punctuated Equilibria. Princeton,
New Jersey: Princeton University Press,1985. (Originally
published as Niles Eldredge. Time Frames: The Rethinking
of Darwinian Evolution and the Theory of Punctuated Equilibria.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985.)
- Brian Goodwin.
How the Leopard Changed Its Spots: The Evolution of Complexity.
Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994.
- Stephen
Jay Gould. "Is a New and General Theory of Evolution
Emerging?" Paleobiology 6 (1980), 1, 119-120.
- Stephen
Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge. "Punctuated Equilibria:
The Tempo and Mode of Evolution Reconsidered." Paleobiology
3 (1977): 115-151.
- Mae-Wan
Ho and Peter T. Saunders. "Beyond Neo-Darwinism--An
Epigenetic Approach to Evolution." Journal of Theoretical
Biology 78 (1979): 573-91.
- Phillip
E. Johnson. Darwin on Trial. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity
Press, 1991.
- Phillip
E. Johnson. The Wedge of Truth. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity
Press, 2001.
- Søren
Løvtrup. Darwinism: The Refutation of a Myth. London:
Croom Helm, 1987. (Also published by Viking Penguin.)
- Henry M.
Morris. Creation Science. El Cajon, Calif.: Master Books,
2001.
- Paul A.
Nelson. "A Colin Patterson Sampler." Origins &
Design 17:1.
http://www.arn.org/docs/odesign/od171/sampler171.htm
- Paul A.
Nelson. "Colin Patterson Revisits His Famous Question
about Evolution." Origins & Design 17:1.
http://www.arn.org/docs/odesign/od171/colpat171.htm
- David M.
Raup. Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck? New York: W.W.
Norton & Company, 1992.
- Jonathan
Wells. Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? Washington,
DC: Regnery Publishing, 2000.
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