Teaching Evolution in 21st Century America

Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial. Nova.
  

Session 1

Session 2

  

 

Application:

Evidence Against Evolution

Session 1

Evidence Against Evolution


There are various antievolutionary claims made by intelligent design proponents that are not discussed in Of Pandas and People nor addressed in Kitzmiller v. Dover. Each of these can be scientifically evaluated and debunked.

Reading

Read the following brief summary of antievolution claims.

On common descent: The sudden appearance of major new forms of life in the fossil record, and the stability of these forms over long periods of time, supports multiple origins rather than a single common ancestor.

On anatomical homology: Variation in the genetic and developmental control of homologous structures and the control of different structures by the same genes is evidence against anatomical homology and common ancestry.

On molecular homology: Different genes, methods, and even laboratories can generate phylogenies that show variable and often inconsistent evolutionary relationships among organisms.

On natural selection: Experiments on natural selection do not produce new species.

On natural selection and mutation: Mutation-induced changes have fitness costs and cannot be used by evolution.

Video

Now further explore some of the evidence for evolution, particularly as it relates to the claims above.

A Mutation Story

 

Evolving Ideas: Why Does Evolution Matter Now?

 

Notebook

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with The TalkOrigins Archive index to creationist claims. Look closely at two or three of the claims. What type of information is presented here?

Next: > Putting It into Practice: Responding to Community Pressure