Hot Topic: Creation and Evolution

This week at The Ave, we are examining the hot topic of creation and evolution.

This has actually been in the headlines quite a bit recently due to the controversy in public schools over teaching the concept of intelligent design along with evolutionary theory.

For some recent news articles on this, read the following pieces about happenings in South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah. All of these things have occurred in the last 4 months. This is a hot topic indeed.

Evolution and Darwin
For some insight into Darwin’s theory of evolution, here are some helpful tools

• The University of California-Berkeley’s simple entry-point website on evolutionary theory
• PBS’s series on Darwin and Evolution
• Wikipedia

Intelligent Design
To understand what intelligent design (ID) is all about, look here:

• The Intelligent Design Network
• Phillip E. Johnson, author of Darwin on Trial
• William Dembski’s web-site, Design Inference
• Wikipedia

Creationism
Distinct from ID approaches, is the work of creationist groups, like the following:

• Institute for Creation Research
• The Creation Research Society
• Creation Science web project
• why not Wikipedia?

Syracuse University teaches a class entitled, “Evolution vs. Creationism.” You can check out some of the online resources from that class here.

I posted something here about ‘Evolution Sunday’, the effort of some Wisconsin scientists and academics to address evolution from the pulpit in churches.