Lecturer 18: Modern Opponents of Evolution

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Questions and Answers

Who wrote a book called Darwinism, which is an excellent summary of The Origin of Species?

Charles Darwin

Alfred Russel Wallace (correct)

John Scopes

A leader of the American fundamentalist movement

In which year did the Scopes 'monkey trial' take place?

19th century

1886

1887

1925 (correct)

Who volunteered to go into the Scopes trial to teach human evolution in the high school?

John Scopes (correct)

A leader of the American fundamentalist movement

Charles Darwin

Alfred Russel Wallace

What movement saw a big change with the rise of the American fundamentalist movement at the beginning of the 19th century?

Religious fundamentalist movement Signup and view all the answers

What did the Scopes 'monkey trial' oppose teaching in schools?

Human evolution Signup and view all the answers

Who was hailed as a great scientific discoverer during his lecture tour of the USA in 1886-1887?

Alfred Russel Wallace Signup and view all the answers

What did the rise of the American fundamentalist movement bring at the beginning of the 19th century?

Acceptance of Darwin Wallace theory Signup and view all the answers

What concept did Michael Behe introduce to argue against gradual evolution in nature?

Irreducible complexity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for intelligent design not being accepted in science by recognized scientific bodies?

Lack of evidence Signup and view all the answers

What is the main flaw in Michael Behe's argument, according to the text?

Logical fallacy Signup and view all the answers

What did Francis Galton coin in 1883, leading to selective mating and sterilization of 'undesirable' individuals?

Eugenics Signup and view all the answers

What was the term 'intelligent design' used to replace in the documents of the creation science movement?

Creation science Signup and view all the answers

What did the eugenics movement influence, based on the text?

The belief in a superior race Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument against Michael Behe's analogy of the mousetrap as an example of irreducible complexity?

The gradual evolution of the modern mousetrap Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925?

It was a famous confrontation between creationists and evolutionists challenging a state law. Signup and view all the answers

Who defended John Scopes in the Scopes Monkey Trial?

Clarence Darrow Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the attempt to introduce intelligent design into science classes in the 1990s?

It sparked controversy and was found to be identical to creation science. Signup and view all the answers

What did William Jennings Bryan believe about evolution theory?

He believed it was responsible for the war. Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the attempts to introduce religious creationism and creation-science into science classrooms in the 1970s and 1980s?

They were defeated in court. Signup and view all the answers

What was the impact of the Scopes Monkey Trial on public perception of evolution and creationism?

It significantly influenced public perception of evolution and creationism. Signup and view all the answers

What was the ultimate decision of the US Supreme Court regarding anti-science laws in state schools?

They struck down anti-science laws. Signup and view all the answers

What is the basis of Darwin's theory of evolution?

Natural selection and chosen genes Signup and view all the answers

What process powers evolution, thus not violating the second law of thermodynamics?

Energy from the sun Signup and view all the answers

What is the main evidence supporting evolution as stated in the text?

Fossil records Signup and view all the answers

What concept aimed to improve humanity through selective breeding and sterilization of those with undesired traits?

Eugenics Signup and view all the answers

What claim is made by the Creation museum in Kentucky?

Humans coexisted with dinosaurs Signup and view all the answers

What scientific disciplines are involved in determining the age of the Earth?

Geology, paleontology, radiometric dating, dendrochronology, and ice core drilling Signup and view all the answers

What is the common misconception about the connection between Darwin and the Holocaust?

There is no direct connection between Darwin and the Holocaust Signup and view all the answers

What challenges the belief in a young Earth, as mentioned in the text?

Examples of ancient living organisms like Old Tjikko and King Clone Signup and view all the answers

What is the status of opponents to evolution in Singapore?

Opposition to evolution exists in Singapore despite widespread acceptance after Darwin's death Signup and view all the answers

What was the " The Butler Act "?

Tennessee law prohibiting public school teachers from denying the book of Genesis account of mankind's origin Signup and view all the answers

Did John Scope win the Scope Monkey Tree in the end?

c) No, John Scope Lost, and was fine $1 and the butler act continues . Signup and view all the answers

What was made into a movie about the John Scope Trail

Inherit the Wind, which is based on the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" Signup and view all the answers

When was Evolution accepted as a fact?

1870s Signup and view all the answers

What came out in the 1970s, to push evolution out of the classroom

Creationism Signup and view all the answers

Who created the creationist, which was about the evolution of scientific creationism

Ronald L. Numbers Signup and view all the answers

What was Michael Behe's book - Darwin black box about?

Introducing the concept of irreducible complexity - Structure are so complicated that they cannot have been evolved by a slow gradual process Signup and view all the answers

What was Irreducible Complexity about?

A removal of any part of a system will caused the system to stop functioning Signup and view all the answers

What did the Creation Museum in Kentucky promote

They proposed the the world is only 6000 years old Signup and view all the answers

Does Evolution run counter to the second law of thermodynamics

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the current estimate of the age of the universe? From cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the big bang measure

13.8 Billions years Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Debunking Misconceptions about Evolution and Age of the Earth

Eugenics movement, inspired by Darwinism, aimed to improve humanity through selective breeding for desired traits and sterilization of those with undesired traits
Critics falsely connect Darwin and evolution theory to the Holocaust and first world war, but there is no direct connection
Creation museum in Kentucky promotes Young Earth creationism, claiming humans coexisted with dinosaurs and the world is only 6000 years old
Determining the age of the Earth involves geology, paleontology, radiometric dating, dendrochronology, and ice core drilling
Examples of ancient living organisms, like Old Tjikko and King Clone, challenge the belief in a young Earth
Evolution is a scientific fact with evidence supporting it, not merely a conjecture or guess
Darwin's theory of evolution is not based on random chance, but on a process of natural selection and chosen genes
Evolution does not violate the second law of thermodynamics, as it is powered by energy from the sun
There are opponents to evolution in Singapore, despite widespread acceptance of evolution after Darwin's death

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Description

Test your knowledge and challenge misconceptions about evolution and the age of the Earth with this informative quiz. Explore topics such as the eugenics movement, the connection between Darwin and historical events, Young Earth creationism, methods for determining the age of the Earth, evidence for ancient life, the scientific basis of evolution, and common misconceptions about the theory.