Today marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin’s birth, and this year is also the 150th anniversary of the publication of his magnum opus, ‘On the Origin of the Species.’
But the passing of years has done nothing to dull the debate that swirls around the father of evolutionary theory.
In fact, the controversy over Darwin and the implications of his work has intensified in recent years.
This year, OU will be the site of much debate — literally — as it hosts one of the largest series of Darwin-related events in the country.
A debate between a Darwinist and an intelligent design theorist will take place a week before a lecture by one of the most famous evolutionary biologists in the world.
Faculty members and administrators have planned such an elaborate schedule because the book they are celebrating is one of the most controversial scientific titles ever published, according to history of science professor Piers Hale.
Hale said Darwin changed the perspective of science with ‘On the Origin of the Species’ a century and a half ago.
“It was very popular and very controversial,” Hale said. “It changed perspective on what it meant to be a human.”
He said there is almost no disagreement within the scientific community on whether or not Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection is correct.
There are groups, however, that are strongly opposed to Darwin’s theory, especially in the Midwest, said Ingo Schlupp, zoology professor. These groups often give the impression that there is a raging scientific debate, but most people accept Darwin’s theory, Schlupp said.
However, proponents of intelligent design theory argue that evolutionary theory doesn’t explain many complex features of the world.
Intelligent design, which is the attempt to use the scientific method to find signs of creative intelligence in biology, has been around for approximately 200 years, chemical engineering professor Jeff Harwell said. Its study has been rejuvenated in the last 20 years due to advances in biochemistry, like the discovery of DNA and intracellular structures, Harwell said.
Although Harwell is a proponent of intelligent design, he does not think it should be taught in public schools.
“I think it’s premature,” he said. “It’s still controversial and not acceptable in the scientific community. I’m not opposed to students being exposed to it, but I wouldn’t want to see it mandated.”
Larry Toothaker, retired psychology professor, said he had a tough time introducing intelligent design theory at OU.
Toothaker said he tried to start a class on the topic of intelligent design and was sent anonymous opposition letters.
When some students formed a pro-intelligent design group called the IDEA club, their meetings were visited by professors who attempted to persuade them to accept evolution, Toothaker said.
“Zoology professors would come to their meetings and try to put them in bad light and make fun of them as if they know everything and these students know nothing,” Toothaker said.
Many professors say the anti-evolution backlash has religious roots. Some people take Darwin’s theory as a suggestion that humans are not divinely created, Hale said.
But Harwell said there doesn’t need to be a conflict between Darwin’s theory and either religion or intelligent design.
“I think the only reason there is conflict is because some people like [Richard] Dawkins want to say that Darwinism excludes any need or disproved the existence of a creator,” Harwell said. “This was not anything that was intended by Darwin. Extremists on both side made it a conflict.”
Regardless of the controversy, professors said they are pleased with the Darwin celebration planned for this year.
“It’s a great opportunity for [students] to look at the impact of Darwin on our culture,” Harwell said. “There’s no question, that ‘On the Origin of Species’ had more impact than any other publication in the past 150 years.”
Glossary of Theories
Darwinism: Name used for the movements or concepts based in some way on the ideas put forward in Charles Darwin’s 1859 book “On the Origin of Species.”
Evolution: The theory that attributes the existence of complex life forms to intergenerational adaptations to the environment through natural selection.
Intelligent Design: Theory that some parts of biology contain specific complex patterns that are best explained as a result of an intelligent force or agent.
Natural Selection: The mechanism behind the theory of evolution. It relies on the ‘survival of the fittest’ concept in which organisms best able to adapt to their environment will survive to pass on those adaptations to the next generations.
Creationism: Religious belief in the origin of life on earth. In the U.S., the predominant creationist belief is a literal interpretation of the Bible.
OU Speakers
John Lynch: Honors Fellow at Arizona State University’s Center for Biology and Society. Lynch studies the reactions to and the religious implications of evolution theory.
“Was There a Darwinian Revolution?”
7 p.m. today , Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Michael Ruse: Philosophy professor at Florida State University. Ruse is most famous for his book, “Darwinian Revolution,“ and his work helped shape the study of Darwinian evolution.
“Is Darwinism Past Its ‘Sell By’ Date?”
6 p.m. Feb. 26, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
William Dembski: Philosophy professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Author of “The Design Inference,” Dembski is a leading proponent of intelligent design.
Debate with Michael Ruse
8 p.m. Feb. 27, Catlett Music Center
Richard Dawkins: Famous for his books “The Selfish Gene” and “The God Delusion.” The atheism advocate emphasizes that naturalistic science shows no evidence for the existence of God.
“The Purpose of Purpose”
5:30 p.m. March 6, McCasland Field House
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isotope 3 years, 3 months ago
Once again, I am disappointed by The Daily's coverage of evolution and Year of Darwin events. Most of the scheduled talks at OU have nothing to do with the recent "debate" between evolution and intelligent design (a not-so-clever recasting of creation science). Rather, they primarily focus on historical accounts of Darwin, as well as recent advances in biology that touch on natural selection. Without doubt, evolution is still controversial in the public sphere, particularly in states like Oklahoma. However, this mistrust cannot be accurately described as a legitimate "debate" between two scientific disciplines on equal footing. The term "debate" should be used with care, especially in this context. Instead, The Daily used the word sloppily in a front-page article that perpetuates Oklahoma's image as a scientific backwater.
Brian Harms Graduate Student (Isotope Geochemistry)