Evolution: An Educational ViewMany words have been written about the origins of things. Numerous ancient people believed that several powerful gods were responsible for creating human beings (Warburton 12). Another theory is parallel evolution, humans evolving simultaneously in several parts of the world (Allman, 54). The metaphysical assumptions and moral implications demonstrated in aspects of evolution theory have been a source of conflict for over one hundred years. "Pre-Darwinian" biologists based their science on theological assumptions. Science was rooted in religion; its purpose was to prove the existence of God, using as evidence the design and purpose in nature. Darwin introduced as explanation of biological change that "excluded the necessity of supernatural minacy" (Fix 172). He hypothesized that the " human family" arose in Africa. He was right. All the earliest hominid species have been found in Africa, and Africa alone. Thus, Darwin's Origin of Species was viewed as a revolutionary document in 1859, although its primary contribution was to "organize and synthesize a set of ideas that had pervaded the scientific literature for more than fifty years" (Nelkin 17). Thomas Huxley, an early supporter of Darwin's theory attended the famous British Association meeting held at Oxford in 1860. His views clashed with those of the eloquent Bishop of Oxford who defended fundamentalists. Darwin himself took very little part in these controversies and was rather "distressed at the furore to which his ideas had given rise" (Waechter 8), though throughout his life he never altered his views. The introduction of Darwin's theory in the American school system gave a reason for concern about this underlying assumptions and social implications.There are four basic philosophies on the theory of evolution. A biblical creationist believes that the words in the Bible "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and bre...
