Changes

On June 28, 2022, ''[[The Guardian]]'' published an article entitled ''Do we need a new theory of evolution?'' which indicated: "A new wave of scientists argues that mainstream evolutionary theory needs an urgent overhaul... Strange as it sounds, scientists still do not know the answers to some of the most basic questions about how life on Earth evolved. Take eyes, for instance. Where do they come from, exactly? The usual explanation of how we got these stupendously complex organs rests upon the theory of [[natural selection]]."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jun/28/do-we-need-a-new-theory-of-evolution ''Do we need a new theory of evolution?''] by Stephen Buranyi, The Guardian,  June 28, 2022</ref>

On June 28, 2022, ''[[The Guardian]]'' published an article entitled ''Do we need a new theory of evolution?'' which indicated: "A new wave of scientists argues that mainstream evolutionary theory needs an urgent overhaul... Strange as it sounds, scientists still do not know the answers to some of the most basic questions about how life on Earth evolved. Take eyes, for instance. Where do they come from, exactly? The usual explanation of how we got these stupendously complex organs rests upon the theory of [[natural selection]]."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jun/28/do-we-need-a-new-theory-of-evolution ''Do we need a new theory of evolution?''] by Stephen Buranyi, The Guardian,  June 28, 2022</ref>

==Teaching evolution & Views of Experts==   

==Teaching evolution & views of experts==   

In 2024, the assistant to [[Russia]]n Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, former [[Chechen]] Prime Minister Muslim Khuchiev called for a ban on the teaching of Darwinian theory in schools at a meeting of the All-Russian Parents' Committee. "Everyone knows that this is an erroneous theory, it goes against [[religion]]. This is the first step, I believe, in the [[spiritual]] degradation of children."<ref>[https://meduza.io/news/2024/09/20/pomoschnik-mishustina-predlozhil-ubrat-teoriyu-darvina-iz-shkolnoy-programmy-ideyu-podderzhal-pravoslavnyy-oligarh-konstantin-malofeev Mishustin's assistant suggested removing Darwin's theory from the school curriculum. The idea was supported by the "Orthodox oligarch" Konstantin Malofeev], Meduza, 20 September 2024. meduza.io</ref>

In 2024, the assistant to [[Russia]]n Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, former [[Chechen]] Prime Minister Muslim Khuchiev called for a ban on the teaching of Darwinian theory in schools at a meeting of the All-Russian Parents' Committee. "Everyone knows that this is an erroneous theory, it goes against [[religion]]. This is the first step, I believe, in the [[spiritual]] degradation of children."<ref>[https://meduza.io/news/2024/09/20/pomoschnik-mishustina-predlozhil-ubrat-teoriyu-darvina-iz-shkolnoy-programmy-ideyu-podderzhal-pravoslavnyy-oligarh-konstantin-malofeev Mishustin's assistant suggested removing Darwin's theory from the school curriculum. The idea was supported by the "Orthodox oligarch" Konstantin Malofeev], Meduza, 20 September 2024. meduza.io</ref>

[[Johns Hopkins University]] Press reported in 2014: "Over the past forty years, [[creationism]] has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames."<ref>[https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/creationism-europe Creationism spreading in Europe]</ref> In addition, [[China]] has the world's largest [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] and the rapid growth of biblical [[creationism]]/[[Evangelical Christianity|Evangelical Christianity]] in China may have a significant impact on the number of individuals in the world who believe in evolution and also on [[global atheism]] (see: [[China and biblical creationism]] and [[Asian atheism]]).

[[Johns Hopkins University]] Press reported in 2014: "Over the past forty years, [[creationism]] has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames."<ref>[https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/creationism-europe Creationism spreading in Europe]</ref> In addition, [[China]] has the world's largest [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] and the rapid growth of biblical [[creationism]]/[[Evangelical Christianity|Evangelical Christianity]] in China may have a significant impact on the number of individuals in the world who believe in evolution and also on [[global atheism]] (see: [[China and biblical creationism]] and [[Asian atheism]]).

==History of the concept of evolution and natural selection==

==History of the concept of natural selection==

The theory of natural selection was published by naturalist [[Darwin, Charles|Charles Darwin]] in his book ''[[The Origin of Species|On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life]]'' (1859) and also by Alfred Russel Wallace in his paper ''On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection'' (1858). Charles Lyell and Joseph Dalton Hooker decided on a joint publication at the Linnean Society of London in 1858 of Wallace's paper together with an extract from Darwin's 1844 essay and his letter to Asa Gray and summarized:<ref>Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace, On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 3, Issue 9, August 1858, Pages 45–62, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1858.tb02500.x</ref><ref>[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2311239#page/127/mode/1up 1858 Online link to Summary by Joseph Hooker and Charles Lyell]]</ref>

The theory of natural selection was published by naturalist [[Darwin, Charles|Charles Darwin]] in his book ''[[The Origin of Species|On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life]]'' (1859) and also by Alfred Russel Wallace in his paper ''On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection'' (1858). Charles Lyell and Joseph Dalton Hooker decided on a joint publication at the Linnean Society of London in 1858 of Wallace's paper together with an extract from Darwin's 1844 essay and his letter to Asa Gray and summarized:<ref>Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace, On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 3, Issue 9, August 1858, Pages 45–62, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1858.tb02500.x</ref><ref>[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2311239#page/127/mode/1up 1858 Online link to Summary by Joseph Hooker and Charles Lyell]]</ref>

   

   

Darwin did not first propose in his book ''Origin of Species'' that man had descended from non-human ancestors. Darwin's theory of evolution was incorporated later in Darwin's book entitled ''[[Descent of Man]]''.

Darwin did not first propose in his book ''Origin of Species'' that man had descended from non-human ancestors. Darwin's theory of evolution was incorporated later in Darwin's book entitled ''[[Descent of Man]]''.

As far as the history of the theory of evolution, although Darwin is well known when it comes to the early advocacy of the evolutionary position in the [[Western world]], evolutionary ideas were taught by the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] as early as the 7th century B.C.<ref>Dr. [[Jerry Bergman]], [http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/naturalism.asp Evolutionary Naturalism: An Ancient Idea] First published: TJ 15(2):77–80 August 2001</ref> The concept of naturalistic evolution differs from the concept of [[Theistic Evolution|theistic evolution]] in that it states [[God]] does not guide the posited process of [[macroevolution]].<ref>Dr. Werner Gitt, [http://www.creation.com/content/view/1749/ 10 Dangers of Theistic Evolution] First published: Creation 17(4):49–51, September 1995</ref>

As far as the history of the theory of evolution, although Darwin is well known when it comes to the early advocacy of the evolutionary position in the [[Western world]], evolutionary ideas were taught by the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] as early as the 7th century B.C.<ref>Dr. [[Jerry Bergman]], [http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/naturalism.asp Evolutionary Naturalism: An Ancient Idea] First published: TJ 15(2):77–80 August 2001</ref> The concept of naturalistic evolution differs from the concept of [[Theistic Evolution|theistic evolution]] in that it states [[God]] does not guide the posited process of [[macroevolution]].<ref>Dr. Werner Gitt, [http://www.creation.com/content/view/1749/ 10 Dangers of Theistic Evolution] First published: Creation 17(4):49–51, September 1995</ref>