Summarize
the theory of Creationism (special creation)
Pattern:
complexity, uniqueness, immutability, and recent origin of living organisms
Process:
supernatural creator designed Earth and all living organisms over a 6-day
period about 7000 years ago.
Describe
why the theory of special creation is not scientific
The statement “God
created” is not falsifiable.
Compared to the theory
of more recent origins, the evidence for evolution is overwhelming.
Describe the
evidence that falsifies the pattern portion of creation science.
Imperfection
in nature (know examples)
Evidence
of relationship
Mutability
of form
Existence of a watch
implies watchmaker. Because we perceive perfection and complexity in the
natural world, evolution by natural selection seems to defy credulity.
Describe the evidence that the vertebrate eye
evolved in a series of relatively small steps from a simple light-sensing
structure. Be able to apply this
general line of reasoning to design tests for whether other complex structures
evolved from simple precursors.
Know that
“irreducible complexity” is a modern version of the argument from design.
A
good theory is “what works” and “what is simplest”
“Fairness” is not a
criterion for selecting biology content.
The issue is NOT the power of God, but the nature
of God. Why would God make nature that at every turn appeared to have been
formed by an evolutionary process if this was not true?
Know the basic history of the “evolution and public education” controversy in the United States
The
Scopes “Monkey” Trial, Anti-evolution laws, US Supreme Court decisions 1963 and
1987, creation science, and intelligent design theory