Biology Concept Map Evolution

Evolution is a subject about which many people have firm opinions, whether based on facts, hype, or poor resource materials. As a starting point for this book, I shall present a set of "FAQs" or "Frequently Asked Questions." Brief answers follow, with the reader being directed to other chapters for more detailed explanations.

Q. Despite all the publicity about biological evolution, isn't evolution just a theory with no more evidence for its support than other origin theories?

A. Definitely not. The theory of biological evolution has received support from over a century of intense research. The features that make biological evolution a scientific theory include strong support from the fields of biology, geology, chemistry, physics and even cosmology. In essence, it is arguably the best-supported theory in science, with evidence coming from every major branch of science.

Furthermore, in science the term "theory" has a very specific meaning. A theory is an idea substantiated by an assortment of evidence, and that has not been invalidated after significant testing. Perhaps it is time for scientists to use a new term to replace "theory," because "theory" has such a commonly accepted definition that is virtually the polar opposite of what a scientist means by the term. Evolutionary biology's "Old Man" (the late Harvard Professor Ernst Mayr) has recently substituted the term "fact" for "theory" in his latest book (Mayr, 2001). Calling biological evolution a fact is one succinct way to stop the verbal confusion.

Q. Isn't most evidence for biological evolution intangible, mainly like mathematical explanations rather than real or observable evidence?

A. Almost every aspect of modern medicine, genetic engineering, insecticide and pesticide development, and agricultural sustainability exploits real evolutionary data. The very idea of descent with modification came from observing closely related species and, more recently, living with fossil specimens. From the 1970s onward, direct comparisons of protein and DNA sequences have strongly bolstered both observed and mathematical models of evolutionary theory. Finally, despite strong claims to the contrary by "creationists," many cases of evolution have been and are being observed today.

Q. But how can evolutionary science be considered so accepted when we frequently hear about dissention and arguments by evolutionary scientists? Isn't there a secret cadre of biologists who actually refute the theory?

A. Emphatically no. Biologists almost universally accept the fact that evolution is a real, ongoing process. The infighting often presented in the press is not about if evolution occurs, but about how it occurs. The biggest philosophical divide is a question of whether a) genes are an organism's way of making new organisms or b) organisms are a gene's way of making new genes! Sadly, with careers and ego at stake, some of the scientists involved, as well as their supporters/detractors, sometimes resort to name-calling and rather unpleasant written and verbal attacks on each other.