Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Evolution Misconception #3: Evolution Explains the Origins of Life

Today is the third is a serious of posts on evolution misconceptions.  Thus far I've posted on the following misconceptions.

1.  If evolution is true, then why are there still monkeys?
2.  Evolution is just a theory.

Today's misconception states:

Evolution explains the origins of life.

No, no it doesn't.  The primary focus of evolution is how life changed after it first appeared on Earth.  Evolution does not describe how life on Earth came to be.  This doesn't, however, mean you can throw in your idea, whether it be a single god, multiple gods, aliens, etc. to explain the origin of life.  Not having an answer does not mean you can fill in this gap with your ideas of what you think happened.  Your ideas lack evidence and observations.  There is nothing wrong with saying "I don't know."

Today's evolution misconception is another that evolution denialists use to try to show that evolutionary biologists are uninformed.  They are not uninformed.  It is the denialist who is uninformed.  It is the denialist making up a straw man argument to try to tear down evolution.  It's a common tactic used by the denialists.  Since they can't debate the merits of evolution, they make up questions and ideas biologists don't claim to be true to tear them down.

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