Evolutionism

2009-05-19T01:37:03Z

Withgodilive: Removed the propoganda.

'''Evolutionism''' refers to doctrines of evolution,<ref>{{cite book |author=Kirkpatrick, E. M.; Davidson, George D.; Seaton, M. A.; Simpson, J. R. |title=Chambers concise 20th century dictionary |publisher=Chambers |location=Edinburgh |year=1985 |pages= |isbn=0-550-10553-0 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> specifically to a widely held 19th century belief that [[organism]]s are intrinsically bound to improve themselves, and that changes are progressive and arise through [[inheritance of acquired characters]], as in [[Lamarckism]]. The belief was extended to include [[cultural evolution]] and [[social evolution]].<ref name="isbn0-550-11000-3">{{cite book |author=Allen, R. T.; Allen, Robert W. |title=Chambers encyclopedic English dictionary |publisher=Chambers |location=Edinburgh |year=1994 |pages= |isbn=0-550-11000-3 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> The term is sometimes also used to refer to acceptance of the [[modern evolutionary synthesis]], a [[Theory#Science|scientific theory]] that describes the causes of biological [[evolution]]. In addition, the term is used in a broader sense as a world-view covering a wide variety of topics, including chemical evolution as an alternative term for [[abiogenesis]] or for [[nucleosynthesis]] of [[chemical element]]s, [[galaxy formation and evolution]], [[stellar evolution]], [[spiritual evolution]], [[technological evolution]] and [[universal evolution]], which seeks to explain every aspect of the world in which we live.<ref name="urlEvolutionism">{{cite web |url=http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/evolutionism.htm |title=Evolutionism |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2002–2008 |format= |work= |publisher=AllAboutGOD.com, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80949 |accessdate=2008-12-05}}</ref>

In the [[creation-evolution controversy]], creationists often call those who accept the validity of the modern evolutionary synthesis "evolutionists" and the theory itself as "evolutionism." Some [[creationism|creationists]] and creationist organizations, such as the Institute of Creation Research, use these terms in an effort to make it appear that [[evolutionary biology]] is a form of secular religion.<ref name=Ruse>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/299/5612/1523 |title=Perceptions in science: Is Evolution a Secular Religion? -- Ruse |author=Michael Ruse |authorlink=Michael Ruse |month=March | year=2003 |work= |publisher=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |pages=299 (5612): 1523 |accessdate=2008-12-05|quote=A major complaint of the Creationists, those who are committed to a Genesis-based story of origins, is that evolution--and Darwinism in particular--is more than just a scientific theory. They object that too often evolution operates as a kind of secular religion, pushing norms and proposals for proper (or, in their opinion, improper) action.}}</ref><ref name=ICRMuseum>{{cite web |url=http://www.toarchive.org/faqs/icr-visit/linke.html |title=A Visit to the [[Institute for Creation Research|ICR Museum]] |author=Steven Linke |date=August 28, 1992 |publisher=[[TalkOrigins Archive]]|quote=In fact, true science supports the Biblical worldview... However, science does not support false religions (e.g. atheism, evolutionism, pantheism, humanism, etc.) |accessdate=2008-12-05}}</ref>

==Nineteenth-century usage==
Before the 19th century there were a number of hypotheses regarding the evolution of all material phenomena: suns, moons, planets, earth, life, civilization, and society. The number of hypotheses being propounded increased dramatically in the middle of the 19th century.

The term ''evolution'' was popularised during the 19th century by [[Herbert Spencer]] to mean [[cultural evolution]]; i.e. the increasing [[complexity]] of cultures (see [[Cultural evolution#History of the theory of cultural evolution|History of the theory of cultural evolution]]) — it was only later that it acquired its [[evolution|biological meaning]].

Anthropologists and biologists refer to "evolutionists" in the 19th century as those who believed that the cultures or life forms being studied are evolving to a ''particular'' form (see [[Platonic form]]). This original theory of evolution was seen as pseudo-science by its contemporaries, similar in standing as [[phrenology]]<ref name=Ruse/>. Very few scientists today, if any, believe that evolution in culture or biology works that way, and serious discussions generally take caution to distance themselves from that perspective. Evolutionary biology explains biotic changes in terms of internal processes and gradual development as a natural progression of previously existing lifeforms. Evolution neither denies nor requires a role for [[divine intervention]].

==Modern usage==
In modern times, the term ''[[evolution]]'' is widely used, but the terms ''evolutionism'' and ''evolutionist'' are rarely used in scientific circles to refer to the biological discipline.

The Institute for Creation Science, however, in order to treat evolution as a category of religions, including [[atheism]], [[fascism]], [[humanism]] and [[occultism]], commonly uses the words ''evolutionism'' and ''evolutionist'' to describe the consensus of mainstream science and the scientists subscribing to it, thus implying through language that the issue is a matter of religious belief.<ref name=ICRMuseum/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://creationwiki.org/Evolutionism |title=Evolutionism - CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science |format= |work= |accessdate=2009-01-01}}</ref> The basis of this argument is to establish that the creation-evolution controversy is essentially one of interpretation of evidence, without any overwhelming proof (beyond current scientific theories) on either side. Creationists tend to use the term evolutionism in order to suggest that the theory of evolution and creationism are equal in a philosophical debate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toarchive.org/origins/postmonth/jul03.html |title=The Talk.Origins Archive Post of the Month: July 2003 |author=Louann Miller |accessdate=2008-12-05}}</ref> The terms "evolutionism" and "evolutionist" are rarely used in the [[scientific community]] as self-descriptive terms.

==See also==
* [[Darwinism]]
* [[Scientism]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Carneiro, Robert, ''Evolutionism in Cultural Anthropology: A Critical History'' ISBN 0-8133-3766-6
* {{cite book |title=World Religions and Social Evolution of the Old World Oikumene Civilizations: A Cross-cultural Perspective |edition=First Edition |last=Korotayev |first=Andrey | authorlink=Andrey Korotayev |publisher=Edwin Mellen Press |location=Lewiston, New York |year=2004 |isbn=0-7734-6310-0}} (on the applicability of this notion to the study of [[social evolution]]).
* Review of ''[[William Buckland|Buckland's]] [[Bridgewater Treatise]]'', ''[[The Times]]'' Tuesday, November 15, 1836; pg. 3; Issue 16261; col E. ("annihilates the doctrine of spontaneous and progressive evolution of life, and its impious corollary, chance")
* Review of [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals'' ''The Times'' Friday, December 13, 1872; pg. 4; Issue 27559; col A. ("His [Darwin's] thorough-going 'evolutionism' tends to eliminate...")
* Ruse, Michael. 2003. ''[http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/299/5612/1523 Is Evolution a Secular Religion?]'' Science 299:1523-1524 (concluding that [[evolutionary biology]] is not a religion in any sense but noting that several evolutionary biologists, such as [[Edward O. Wilson]], in their roles as citizens concerned about getting the public to deal with reality, have made statements like "evolution is a [[Mythology|myth]] that is now ready to take over [[Christianity]]").

==External links==
* [http://www.ncseweb.org/ National Center for Science Education] - The [[National Center for Science Education]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

[[cs:Evolucionismus]]
[[da:Evolutionisme]]
[[nl:Evolutionisme]]
[[ja:進化主義]]
[[pl:Ewolucjonizm]]
[[sr:Еволуционизам]]

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Evolutionism