A public lecture on "Why all the fuss about Darwin and Evolution?" by Dr. Eugenie Scott, Executive Director of National Center for Science Education, on the campus of California State University, Fresno, presented on December 2, 2009. The event was sponsored by the campus Consortium for Evolutionary Studies.

1. Consortium for Evolutionary Studies
California State University, Fresno
Evolutionary Biology Lecture Series
Why the fuss about
Darwin and Evolution?
December 2, 2009
Satellite Student Union
7:30 PM
Dr. Eugenie C. Scott
Executive Director,
National Center for Science Education

2. Why All the Fuss About Darwin
and Evolution?
December 2, 2009
Fresno State University
Eugenie C. Scott,
Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Center for
Science Education, Inc.
WWW.NCSE.com

18. Descent with Modification
Grand Pa
Dad Uncle John
Genie Sue Cousin Liz

19. Descent with Modification
Mammals
Carnivora Primates
Caniformes Feliformes Ceboidea Hominoids
Bears Dogs Lions Hyenas Cebus Howlers Apes Humans

20. Darwin’s View:
Monkeys Humans
African Apes

21. Many student’s view!
Humans
African Apes
Monkeys

22. Accurate Familial Relationship
Your cousin Your brother
You
Father
Grandfather

23. Many student’s view!
You!
Humans
African Apes Your brother
Monkeys
Your cousin

25. CORE

26. CORE
Frontier

27. CORE
Frontier
Fringe

28. Evolution, Pattern, Process

29. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Evolution:

30. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Evolution:
Descent with
modification/
common ancestry

31. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Evolution: Mechanisms or Factors
Effecting Evolution:
Descent with -natural selection
modification/ -non-selective (drift)
- “evo-devo”
common ancestry

32. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Evolution: Mechanisms or Factors
Effecting Evolution:
Descent with -natural selection
modification/ -non-selective (drift)
- “evo-devo”
common ancestry
Patterns of Evolution:

33. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Evolution: Mechanisms or Factors
Effecting Evolution:
Descent with -natural selection
modification/ -non-selective (drift)
- “evo-devo”
common ancestry
Patterns of Evolution:
Core

34. Evolution, Pattern, Process
Frontier
Evolution: Mechanisms or Factors
Effecting Evolution:
Descent with -natural selection
modification/ -non-selective (drift)
- “evo-devo”
common ancestry
Patterns of Evolution:
Core

35. …the students had
memorized everything, but
they didn’t know what
anything meant.
Richard Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr.
Feynman”, 1985

36. Nothing in
biology makes
sense except in
the light of
evolution.
Theodosius
Dobzhansky, ABT
25:125-129, 1973

43. Procaryote

44. Procaryote
Eucaryote

45. Eucaryote

60. Pew Foundation, 2009

61. 2005 physicians poll

62. 2005 physicians poll

63. 2005 physicians poll

64. 2005 physicians poll

65. 2005 physicians poll
Total: 80%
accept evolution

66. Miller, et al, Science,
Aug 11, 2006

67. Miller, et al, Science,
Aug 11, 2006
“Humans evolved
from earlier forms
of animals, true or
false?”

68. Miller, et al, Science,
Aug 11, 2006
“Humans evolved
from earlier forms
of animals, true or
false?”

69. Miller, et al, Science,
Aug 11, 2006
“Humans evolved
from earlier forms
of animals, true or
false?”

70. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

71. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

72. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

73. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

74. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

75. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

76. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

77. “Pillars of Creationism”
www.talkorigins.org
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
www.PandasThumb.org
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

78. Statements from
Scientific
Organizations;
(and religious,
and educational
organizations

80. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Creation
Evolution

81. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat Earthers
Creation
Evolution

86. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Evolution

87. Geocentrism
…you would find that all [church fathers]
agree in explaining literally (ad litteram) that
the sun is in the heavens and moves swiftly
around the earth, and that the earth is far
from the heavens and stands immobile in the
center of the universe. Cardinal Robert
Bellarmine, April 12, 1615, cited in Galileo, Science
and the Church by Jerome Langford, pp 60-62)

88. Gerardus Bouw

89. Gerardus Bouw

90. Geocentrism
If God cannot be taken literally when
He writes of the rising of the sun,
how can one insist that He be taken
literally when writing of the rising of
the Son?
Gerardus Bouw, 1984 With Every Wind of doctrine:
Biblical, Historical and Scientific Perspectives on

92. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-earth Creationists
Evolution

93. Henry M. Morris

94. Special Creationism

96. Graphic

97. Graphic

100. Colorado
Plateau,
Creationist
Style
Post flood
Late flood
Early flood
Pre-flood

101. Grand Canyon,
Monument to
Catastrophe
Steve Austin

102. Grand Canyon,
Monument to
Catastrophe
Steve Austin

103. The Word of God
must take first
priority, and secondly,
the observed facts of
science.
Morris, H. 1985. Scientific
Creationism 2nd General Edition. El
Cajon, CA:Creation Life Publishers,
p 215

104. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat-Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-Earth Creationists
Old-Earth Creationists
Evolution

105. Old Earth Creationism
Day-Age Creationism
Gap Creationism
Progressive Creationism
Continuous Creationism

106. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat-Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-Earthers
Intelligent Design Old-Earthers
Evolution

107. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat-Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-Earthers
Intelligent Design Old-Earthers
Evolution

108. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat-Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-Earthers
Old-Earthers
Theistic Evolutionists
Evolution

116. The Creation/Evolution
Continuum
Flat-Earthers
Creation Geocentrists
Young-Earthers
Old-Earthers
Theistic Evolutionists
Materialists
Evolution

117. Science is limited to
explaining the
natural world, using
natural processes

118. 2 Kinds of
“Materialism” (Naturalism)
Methodological Materialism
Philosophical Materialism
Not the same!

119. Science

120. Science

121. Science

122. Science

124. Darwin’s “Big Ideas”

125. Darwin’s “Big Ideas”
Evolution (descent
with modification/
common ancestry)

126. Darwin’s “Big Ideas”
Evolution (descent
with modification/
common ancestry)

127. Darwin’s “Big Ideas”
Evolution (descent
with modification/
common ancestry)
Natural Selection

128. Implications of Darwinism
Evolution
Happened
Natural
Selection
Explains It

129. Implications of Darwinism
Evolution Challenged literal view
Happened of Bible
Natural
Selection
Explains It

130. Implications of Darwinism
Evolution Challenged literal view
Happened of Bible
Natural Challenged design
Selection argument God less
Explains It personal

131. Reasons to Reject Evolution
Conservative
Christians
Mainstream
Christians

132. Reasons to Reject Evolution
Special creationism
Conservative Loss of personal God
Christians Theodicy
Mainstream
Christians

133. Reasons to Reject Evolution
Special creationism
Conservative Loss of personal God
Christians Theodicy
Mainstream
Loss of personal God
Christians
Theodicy

134. “Pillars of Creationism”
Evolution is a
“theory in
crisis”
Evolution and
religion are
incompatible
It’s only “fair” to
teach
creationism
with evolution

135. “For every Ph.D., there is an
equal and opposite Ph.D.”
(anonymous lawyer)

136. “For every Ph.D., there is an
equal and opposite Ph.D.”
(anonymous lawyer)

137. “Academic Freedom” Legislation
Alabama 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
Florida 2008 New Mexico 2009
Louisiana 2008 Maryland 2006
Michigan 2008 Texas 2009
S. Carolina 2008
Missouri 2007, 2008, 2009
Oklahoma 2006, 2009
Iowa 2009 www.ncse.com

138. Euphemisms…

139. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”

140. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution”

141. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution”
 “both strengths and weaknesses of evolution”

142. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution”
 “both strengths and weaknesses of evolution”
 “evolution as theory not fact”

143. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution”
 “both strengths and weaknesses of evolution”
 “evolution as theory not fact”
 “teach the full range of views about origins”

144. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution”
 “both strengths and weaknesses of evolution”
 “evolution as theory not fact”
 “teach the full range of views about origins”
 “teach the controversy”

145. Euphemisms…
 “critically analyze evidence for evolution”
enc e in
 “both evidence for and evidence against
evolution” ci
d S of of evolution”
Ba weaknesses
achtheorynnot fact”
 “both strengths and
Te as he a me
 “evolution t
ss! origins”
 “teach the full range of ne about
ir views
Fa
 “teach the controversy”

147. CREAT. ID
SCI.

148. CREAT. ID POST -
SCI. EDWARDS

149. “EVIDENCE
AGAINST”
CREAT. ID POST -
SCI. EDWARDS
“ALT.
THEORIES”

150. “EVIDENCE
AGAINST”
CREAT. ID POST -
SCI. EDWARDS
“ALT.
THEORIES”

151. “EVIDENCE
AGAINST”
CREAT. ID POST -
SCI. EDWARDS
“ALT.
THEORIES”

152. www.ncse.com

153. www.ncse.com

154. www.ncse.com

155. www.ncse.com

156. www.ncse.com

157. www.NCSE.com
Crisis center

158. www.Facebook.com