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A continuum of approaches to creation and evolutionEugenie Scott (1997) of the National Center for Science Education (a pro-evolution advocacy organization) analyzed the views in the creation-evolution controversy and concluded that, contrary to popular opinion in the United States, the controversy is not a dichotomy with "creationists on one side and the evolutionists on the other"; she found that "in truth there is a continuum of positions" in the controversy. Following are some points-of-view along this continuum:
Surveying viewsIn a 2001 Gallup poll on the origin and development of human beings [1] (http://www.unl.edu/rhames/courses/current/creation/evol-poll.htm) a sample of about one thousand Americans were asked which statement came closest to their views on the origin and development of human beings. Of those polled, 45% chose "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so", 37% chose "Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process", 12% chose "Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process", and the remainder (6%) either volunteered a different response or had no opinion. The Religious Tolerance (http://www.religioustolerance.org) website claims that the poll also found that 5% of American scientists (not necessarily working in fields connected with evolution) believed in biblically literal creation, 40% believed in "theistic evolution", and 55% believed in "naturalistic evolution" [2] (http://www.religioustolerance.org/ev_publi.htm). However, following another opinion poll by DYG Inc., it seems that such results may reveal a false dichotomy. According to the DYG poll, about 70% of Americans indicated that they did not see the theories of evolution and creation as in conflict [3] (http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=1903). Non standard definitionsBoth sides appear to accuse the other of misleading definition of terms. For example, evolutionists often claim that abiogenesis is not a part of evolutionary theory. In retort, creationists say that the origin of life must be explained by evolutionary science, as for life to evolve, life must first begin. On the other side, Young Earth Creationists, such as Kent Hovind, say that there are six different aspects to evolution. These aspects, as defined by Dr. Hovind, are:
Evolutionists retort that the above definitions are taken from many disparate fields of science, including cosmology, astronomy, geology, and chemistry, and have little to do with their definition of evolution as per the modern synthesis.
Participants in the DebateHenry Morris and John Whitcomb in the early 1960s co-authored The Genesis Flood, the book credited with reviving interest in creation as an alternative to evolution. Dr. Morris is considered the "father" of modern creationism. The Creation Research Society, founded in 1963 by a number of creationary scientists including Henry Morris, is a membership organisation with voting membership limited to holders of an earned postgraduate degree. CRS claims a voting membership of about 650, and a total membership of 1700 people. It publishes the CRS Quarterly, a peer-reviewed journal for creationists, conducts research, and operates a web-site (http://www.creationresearch.org/index.html). The Institute for Creation Research is based in San Diego and was founded in 1970 by Henry Morris, and is now led by his son, John Morris. ICR publishes a number of books and newsletters, as well as producing radio spots and operating a web-site (http://www.icr.org/) and a small museum. Answers in Genesis is a creationist organisation which originated in Australia in the late 1970s, co-founded by Ken Ham who now runs the American office of AiG. AiG have also have offices in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada. It publishes a number of books, Creation, a glossy quarterly magazine, and TJ, a peer-reviewed journal for creationists, three times a year. It also operates a web-site (http:\\www.AnswersInGenesis.com) and is constructing a Creation Museum at its American offices in Kentucky. The National Center for Science Education was founded in 1981 to oppose creationism and is led by Eugenie Scott. It is a membership organisation with 4000 members and operates a web-site (http://www.ncseweb.org/default.asp). Richard Dawkins, Michael Ruse, and the late Stephen Jay Gould are well-known evolutionary scientists who have been outspoken against creationism. Duane Gish is a creationary scientist who has become well-known for debating evolutionists across America and in other countries. He is also Senior Vice President of ICR. The Talk.Origins Archive is a large web-site (http://www.talkorigins.org/) of articles critiquing creationary ideas, plus a discussion forum. The True.Origins Archive is a web-site (http://www.trueorigin.org/) set up to respond to claims made on The Talk.Origins Archive. Reasons to Believe is a progressive-creationist organisation founded in 1986 by Hugh Ross. It publishes a number of books and operates a web-site (http://www.reasons.org/index.shtml). Arthur N. Strahler, author of the 1987 book Science and Earth History: The Evolution/Creation Controversy. Duane Gish's Creation Scientists Answer Their Critics was a creationist response to Strahler's book. Creation and evolution in public educationMain article: creation and evolution in public education. The legal status of creation and evolution in public education is the subject of a great deal of debate in scientific, legal, and religious circles.
References
External linksEvolution links
Creation links
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