Sunday 22 April 2007
Introduction
The theory of evolution, discovered by Charles Darwin, is the change of organisms over time under environmental pressure. More precisely, it is the change in the gene pools of living populations of species which occurs over time. Ever since it was formulated, there have been many controversies regarding Darwinian theory and whether it should be taught in science classes in Singapore. Since Singapore is a multi-racial country, there are various religious beliefs that contradict this theory of evolution. Therefore, we have come together as a team of experts under the Ministry of Education to investigate the theory of evolution regarding Natural Selection and evaluate the appropriateness of including it in the education syllabus in Singapore. Read on and find out the different views of historian, evolution expert, evolution opponent and science investigator on the theory of evolution!
Posted by evolutionrocks at 08:25
ConclusionWe have come to the conclusion that the theory of evolution should be taught in schools in Singapore.
The reason that contradicts the inclusion of the theory of evolution into Singapore’s education syllabus is that this theory contradicts many religious beliefs in Singapore, such as Christianity, but this reasoning is not entirely valid because religion and science are two separate ideas that should not be intermixed.
Firstly, the theory of Evolution is a logical explanation to the naturally occurring phenomena of the diversity of life on Earth It is capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind. Thus this theory is a scientific theory that is scientifically proven by scientific evidence through observations. Religion, on the other hand, is a matter of faith and belief which lies with individual opinion. It is not based on real physical observations but lies in a person’s faith. Therefore, religion is spiritual but the theory of evolution is more factual.
Moreover, the theory of Evolution does not address the issue of religion at all, it is a completely separate issue. Therefore, one cannot take a religious context from a scientific text because it is simply inappropriate.
In fact, when Charles Darwin wrote the Origin of Life, which is the start of the whole Evolution Theory, he had done it solely based on the observations he made of the diversity of life present on Earth, and made no connection whatsoever to religion, for people of his times put extreme emphasis on the importance of their religion and do not consider anything slightly contradictory to their religious beliefs. Thus the theory of Evolution at that point of time was highly controversial. However, as times passed, people began to place more emphasis on science, and the theory seemed to make sense in explaining the natural occurrence of diversity of life through Natural Selection, and as there are just too much scientific evidence supporting it. Thus it is widely accepted by people these days, and this is even more evident in the scientific community.
The theory of Evolution also plays a very important role in the scientific community today. It is a central organizing principle of modern biology, and is the underlying principle and bases on which many other scientific theories are formed. It is also plays a part in the progress of the science, as it provides a unifying explanation for the diversity of life on Earth. Therefore, we believe the theory of Evolution would similarly be crucial in a student’s learning of science.
Moreover, the theory of Evolution is supported by much evidence, and it holds water throughout time. This includes evidence from palaeontology, comparative anatomy, biogeography, geographical distribution, molecular similarities, genetic changes over generations, and so on. The extent of the evidence found to support this theory is just too much for scientists not to take this theory into account. Until this theory is falsified by empirical observations, it shall remain an important theory in the scientific community.
Furthermore, religious people should also understand the scientific theory of evolution. If we ban the theory of evolution in schools, people would still not be able to digest the difference between science and religion. They won’t be able to understand either of them fully, thereby mistaking them as being a contradiction, causing tension between these subject matters. One should know how to appreciate and respect both religion and science. In schools, people of all races and religion live and interact.
Schools are to broaden students’ minds and views on problems in the world, and the teaching of the theory of evolution would allow them to realize that what they have been believing all along (according to their religion) can be contradicting in terms of literal interpretations. The students would then be able to carry out deeper reasoning and face different world views. We should also let these students be able to independently find comfort in studying the theory of evolution and holding onto their faith so as to face further challenges in life.
Therefore, we conclude that the theory of Evolution should be taught to students in Singapore. We believe that the students would benefit greatly from the learning of this theory, and it would have a significantly good impact on their understanding of how science explains the origin of life on Earth.
