Introduction
Biology = the scientific study of life
Botany = the scientific study of plants (and many organisms previously
thought to be plants)
I. Science = knowledge covering general truths or the operation of
general laws as obtained and tested through the scientific method
A. Science is based on:
1. Operation of natural or universal laws
2. Scientific method = principles and procedures for the systematic
pursuit of knowledge:
a. recognition and formulation of a problem
b. collection of data through observation and/or experimentation
c. formulation and testing of hypotheses
B. Inductive reasoning - formulating general principles by careful
investigation of specific cases
C. Deductive reasoning - application of general principles to
the investigation of specific cases
D. Most scientific investigations involve loops of inquiry which result in
the formation of a working hypothesis
E. Once a working hypothesis is formulated it may enter another series
of loops in which its validity is tested
F. Experiment = a test of a hypothesis
1. Some investigations are controlled experiments:
a. Controlled experiments have a control group that does not experience
the tested variable
b. Experimental variable is the step that is deliberately manipulated
G. Experiments are followed by data analyses which result in rejection,
reformulation or conditional acceptance of initial hypothesis
1. Hypotheses are often conditionally accepted until independently
verified by others or confirmed by further investigation
H. Eventually a scientific theory may be formulated
1. Scientific theory = a hypothesis supported by a great deal of
evidence which stands the test of time, often tested and never rejected.
E.g. theory of evolution
I. Goals/constraints of science:
1. Scientific investigation is limited to questions that can be studied
objectively
2. Scientific conclusions are subject to change when new techniques and
equipment are available
3. It is possible to prove a hypothesis false, but it cannot be proven
true. Support eventually comes from accumulated inability to discredit
4. Results must be repeatable by others
5. Ultimate goal of science is to understand natural world in terms of
theories
II. Diversity of life
A. Special creation - supernatural or divine force created the universe,
its contents and all life forms
1. Based on faith = a firm belief in something for which there is
no proof
2. Not subject to scientific investigation
B. Theory of evolution - "descent with modification" or changes
in gene frequencies in a population through time
1. Only scientific explanation for life on earth
2. Processes of evolution are fact:
a. Mutation - changes in genes
b. Recombination - shuffling of the genetic material between
generations
- Mutation and Recombination provide variation
c. Natural selection = differential reproduction, i.e. those with
certain traits have advantages which allow them to leave more offspring,
thereby increasing the proportion of their genes in subsequent generations
d. Reproductive isolation - maintains the changes produced by mutation,
recombination and natural selection so that the formation of new species
may take place
3. Evolution is the unifying theme of biology
III. Misconceptions about theory of evolution:
A. "Evolution has never been observed" - changes in gene
frequencies occur constantly, e.g. antibiotic resistance in bacteria
B. "Evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics" -
second law can be stated several ways, creationists commonly use "The
entropy of a closed system cannot decrease". Life is not a closed system,
the sun provides more than enough energy to drive things.
C. "There are no transitional fossils" - there are many
transitional fossils, however, as will be discussed later in the term, we
are lucky to have any fossils at all due to several of factors
D. "The theory of evolution says that life originated, and
evolution proceeds, by random chance" - Chance certainly plays a
large part in evolution, but this argument completely ignores the fundamental
role of natural selection, and selection is the very opposite of
chance. Chance, in the form of mutations, provides genetic variation, which is
the raw material that natural selection has to work with. From there, natural
selection sorts out certain variations
E. "Evolution is only a theory; it hasn't been proved" -
review the definition of theory "a hypothesis supported by a great deal
of evidence which stands the test of time, often tested and never
rejected". It is possible to prove a hypothesis false, but it cannot be
proven true. Support eventually comes from accumulated inability to discredit
F. "You must accept either evolution or religion, but not
both" - unless you take a literal interpretation of the bible (or
other creation ideas) they are not mutually exclusive
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Differences Between Scientifically and
Theologically based Ways of Understanding the World
(source)
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| |
Scientific Approach
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Theological Approach
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| Basis of Developing Understanding of the Natural World |
Observation, Experimentation. |
Invoke Supernatural, Biblical Interpretation. |
| Response to Challenges |
Use of new instrumentation, further observation and experimentation. |
Reexamination of scripture, prayer. |
| Domain of Interest |
Universe, limited to the material world. |
Universe, plus a metaphysical or supernatural realm inhabited by
souls, angels and/or gods, plus heaven or nirvana which is the resting
place of believers after death. |
IV. Intelligent Design (ID) "Theory":
A. Maintains that life and the universe are too complicated to have arisen
via natural processes and/or science can not explain everything
B. Therefore they must be the work of an "intelligent designer",
i.e. god
C. Most ID proponents state explicitly that they believe the designer to be
the Christian God
D. Throughout history humans have invoked the supernatural for phenomena
they don't understand:
1. Evil spirits cause disease vs. germ theory
2. Geocentrism vs. Heliocentrism
3. Rev. Franklin Graham (2005) - the S.E. Asian tsunami caused by satan
vs. plate tectonic theory
E. ID is not a valid scientific theory because it is not falsifiable and
science can not address the supernatural
F. Courts have consistently struck down the the teaching of ID in public
schools because it violates the first amendment "establishment
clause"
G. TalkDesign is a response to the
"Intelligent Design" movement of creationism
VI. Recent examples of evolution
A. antibiotic
resistant bacteria
1. image
B. pesticide
resistance
C. nylon eating bacteria
1. nylon is an artificial polymer not found in nature,
developed by humans in the 1930's. By 1975, bacteria capable of breaking
down nylon were found in wastewater from nylon plants
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