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[[File:Evolution.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|201px|Late in [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] life, Darwin told the Duke of Argyll that he frequently had overwhelming thoughts that the natural world was the [[Intelligent design|result of design]].<ref>[https://electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/anec305.htm The Duke of Argyll and Mr. Darwin  - As told in Glasgow]</ref>  See also: [http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists] ]]  

[[File:Evolution.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|201px|Late in [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] life, Darwin told the Duke of Argyll that he frequently had overwhelming thoughts that the natural world was the [[Intelligent design|result of design]].<ref>[https://electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/anec305.htm The Duke of Argyll and Mr. Darwin  - As told in Glasgow]</ref>  See also: [http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists] ]]  

[[File:Alfredwallace.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|201px|Alfred Russel Wallace is the co-discoverer of [[natural selection]] along with Charles Darwin. He eventually came to hold a view that differed from Darwin in that higher intelligences were involved in the evolution of some species such as man.]]  

[[File:Alfredwallace.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|201px|Alfred Russel Wallace is the co-discoverer of [[natural selection]] along with Charles Darwin. He eventually came to hold a view that differed from Darwin in that higher intelligences were involved in the evolution of some species such as man.]]  

The theory of '''evolution''' is a [[Naturalism|naturalistic]] [[theory]] of the [[history]] of life on earth (this refers to the theory of evolution which employs [[methodological naturalism]] and is taught in schools and universities). In biology, evolution is understood as a process that results in changes in the genetic material of a population over time from adaptations of organisms to their environments. The study of evolution can be performed on different scales: ''microevolution'' reflects changes in DNA sequences and allele frequencies within a species over time (e.g. mutations, interbreeding), ''macroevolution'' reflects large-scale changes at the species level which result from the accumulation of numerous small changes on the microevolutionary scale. [[Natural selection]] is one commonly cited mechanism for driving evolution, but there are others such a genetic drift.<ref>[https://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/evolution-78/ Evolution - Nature (Journal)]</ref> Currently, there are several [[theories of evolution]].  See also: [[Theistic evolution]].

The theory of '''evolution''' is a [[Naturalism|naturalistic]] [[theory]] of the [[history]] of life on earth (this refers to the theory of evolution which employs [[methodological naturalism]] and is taught in schools and universities). In biology, evolution is understood as a process that results in changes in the genetic material of a population over time from adaptations of organisms to their environments. The study of evolution can be performed on different scales: ''[[microevolution]]'' reflects changes in DNA sequences and allele frequencies within a species over time (e.g. mutations, interbreeding), ''[[macroevolution]]'' reflects large-scale changes at the species level which result from the accumulation of numerous small changes on the microevolutionary scale. [[Natural selection]] is one commonly cited mechanism for driving evolution, but there are others such a genetic drift.<ref>[https://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/evolution-78/ Evolution - Nature (Journal)]</ref> Currently, there are several [[theories of evolution]].  See also: [[Theistic evolution]].

Evolution is often linked to Charles Darwin and [[natural selection]]. However, naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was the co-discoverer of natural selection along with [[Charles Darwin]]. Wallace eventually came to believe that nature exhibited design and purpose with evolution.<ref>Alfred Russel Wallace. 1911. [https://archive.org/details/worldoflifemanif00walliala The World of Life: A Manifestation of Creative Power, Directive Mind and Ultimate Purpose]</ref> His works on natural selection were around in the 1850s and some works on the uniqueness of man occurred in the 1860s.<ref name="wallacenat">Alfred Russel Wallace. [https://wallace-online.org/converted/pdf/1895_NaturalSelection_S725%5B2d%5D.pdf Natural Selection and Tropical Nature: Essays on Descriptive and Theoretical Biology] important works on natural selection: "The Law which has Regulated the Introduction of New Species" (1855) and of course "On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type" (1858); on the the limits on natural selection and man see "Limits of Natural Selection as Applied to Man" (1869)</ref> Wallace's views challenge the Darwinian view of evolution and allow for a an overlap between design, intelligence, purpose with natural selection and evolution.<ref name="intelligent evolution">Flannery, M.A. Alfred Russel Wallace’s Intelligent Evolution and Natural Theology. Religions 2020, 11, 316. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11060316</ref><ref>Flannery, Michael A. 2011. Alfred Russel Wallace’s Theory of Intelligent Evolution: How Wallace’s World of Life Challenged Darwinism, rev ed. Riesel: Erasmus Press</ref> Before 1864, Wallace also believed that man was a result of natural selection, but by 1869, Wallace had changed his view since he felt that natural selection was insufficient to craft man's features like rationality, and postulated that higher intelligences may have been involved in man's evolution.<ref>Malcolm Jay Kottler. [https://www.newdualism.org/papers/M.Kottler/Kottler-Isis1974.pdf Alfred Russel Wallace, the Origin of Man, and Spiritualism]. Isis, Vol. 65, No. 2 (Jun., 1974), pp. 144-192 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science Society

Evolution is often linked to Charles Darwin and [[natural selection]]. However, naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was the co-discoverer of natural selection along with [[Charles Darwin]]. Wallace eventually came to believe that nature exhibited design and purpose with evolution.<ref>Alfred Russel Wallace. 1911. [https://archive.org/details/worldoflifemanif00walliala The World of Life: A Manifestation of Creative Power, Directive Mind and Ultimate Purpose]</ref> His works on natural selection were around in the 1850s and some works on the uniqueness of man occurred in the 1860s.<ref name="wallacenat">Alfred Russel Wallace. [https://wallace-online.org/converted/pdf/1895_NaturalSelection_S725%5B2d%5D.pdf Natural Selection and Tropical Nature: Essays on Descriptive and Theoretical Biology] important works on natural selection: "The Law which has Regulated the Introduction of New Species" (1855) and of course "On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type" (1858); on the the limits on natural selection and man see "Limits of Natural Selection as Applied to Man" (1869)</ref> Wallace's views challenge the Darwinian view of evolution and allow for a an overlap between design, intelligence, purpose with natural selection and evolution.<ref name="intelligent evolution">Flannery, M.A. Alfred Russel Wallace’s Intelligent Evolution and Natural Theology. Religions 2020, 11, 316. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11060316</ref><ref>Flannery, Michael A. 2011. Alfred Russel Wallace’s Theory of Intelligent Evolution: How Wallace’s World of Life Challenged Darwinism, rev ed. Riesel: Erasmus Press</ref> Before 1864, Wallace also believed that man was a result of natural selection, but by 1869, Wallace had changed his view since he felt that natural selection was insufficient to craft man's features like rationality, and postulated that higher intelligences may have been involved in man's evolution.<ref>Malcolm Jay Kottler. [https://www.newdualism.org/papers/M.Kottler/Kottler-Isis1974.pdf Alfred Russel Wallace, the Origin of Man, and Spiritualism]. Isis, Vol. 65, No. 2 (Jun., 1974), pp. 144-192 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science Society

Sanford's book ''Genetic Entropy and the Mystery of the Genome'' explains why human [[Deoxyribonucleic acid|DNA]] is inexorably deteriorating at an alarming rate, thus cannot be millions of years old.<ref>[http://creation.com/john-sanford John Sanford - bio] at [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref>  

Sanford's book ''Genetic Entropy and the Mystery of the Genome'' explains why human [[Deoxyribonucleic acid|DNA]] is inexorably deteriorating at an alarming rate, thus cannot be millions of years old.<ref>[http://creation.com/john-sanford John Sanford - bio] at [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref>  

The evolutionist Michael Lynch wrote in the  ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' in a December 3, 2009 article entitled: ''Rate, molecular spectrum, and consequences of human mutation'' (taken from the abstract):  

The evolutionist Michael Lynch wrote in the  ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' in a December 3, 2009 article entitled: ''Rate, molecular spectrum, and consequences of human mutation'' (taken from the abstract):  

{{cquote|...supporters of ‘jerky’ evolution [[saltationism]] and its relative, [[Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium|punctuated equilibria]]) point out that the fossil record does not show gradualism, and that the hypothetical transitional forms would be disadvantageous. But supporters of [[Phyletic gradualism|gradual evolution]] point out that large, information-increasing changes are so improbable that one would need to invoke a secular miracle. Creationists agree with ''both'': punctuational evolution can’t happen, and gradual evolution can’t happen—in fact, particles-to-people evolution can’t happen at all!<ref>[http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-2-chapter-3-argument-evolution-is-true-science-not-just-a-theory Refuting evolution]</ref>}}

{{cquote|...supporters of ‘jerky’ evolution [[saltationism]] and its relative, [[Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium|punctuated equilibria]]) point out that the fossil record does not show gradualism, and that the hypothetical transitional forms would be disadvantageous. But supporters of [[Phyletic gradualism|gradual evolution]] point out that large, information-increasing changes are so improbable that one would need to invoke a secular miracle. Creationists agree with ''both'': punctuational evolution can’t happen, and gradual evolution can’t happen—in fact, particles-to-people evolution can’t happen at all!<ref>[http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-2-chapter-3-argument-evolution-is-true-science-not-just-a-theory Refuting evolution]</ref>}}

== Implausible Explanations and the Evolutionary Position==

== Implausible Explanations ==

[[Image:Feather image.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Harvard]] biologist [[Ernst Mayr]] wrote: "It must be admitted, however, that it is a considerable strain on one’s credulity to assume that finely balanced systems such as certain sense organs (the eye of vertebrates, or the bird’s feather) could be improved by random [[mutation]]s."<ref>[http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes9.html Ernst Mayr, Systematics and the Origin of Species (New York: Dover Publications, 1942), p. 296]</ref>]]  

[[Image:Feather image.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Harvard]] biologist [[Ernst Mayr]] wrote: "It must be admitted, however, that it is a considerable strain on one’s credulity to assume that finely balanced systems such as certain sense organs (the eye of vertebrates, or the bird’s feather) could be improved by random [[mutation]]s."<ref>[http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes9.html Ernst Mayr, Systematics and the Origin of Species (New York: Dover Publications, 1942), p. 296]</ref>]]  

Individuals who are against the evolutionary position assert that evolutionary scientists employ extremely implausible "just so stories" to support their position and have done this since at least the time of Charles Darwin.<ref>http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/two-just-so-stories/</ref>

Individuals who are against the evolutionary position assert that evolutionary scientists employ extremely implausible "just so stories" to support their position and have done this since at least the time of Charles Darwin.<ref>http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/two-just-so-stories/</ref>

In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilisation of [[Orchid]]s, and upon The [[Earthworm]]s, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature—I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, “Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times,” and he shook his head vaguely, adding, “it seems to go away.”(Argyll 1885, 244]<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html</ref>}}

In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilisation of [[Orchid]]s, and upon The [[Earthworm]]s, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature—I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, “Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times,” and he shook his head vaguely, adding, “it seems to go away.”(Argyll 1885, 244]<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html</ref>}}

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=== A significant portion of atheists see their lives and the world being the product of design ===

=== Atheists and views of design ===

Research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: [[Atheism and purpose]]).<ref>

Research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: [[Atheism and purpose]]).<ref>