Friday, September 18, 2009

Who is What in the Creation/Evolution Debate



At a site called Exploring Constitutional Conflicts, I found this description of for each choice in the poll. After some feedback, I have realized how inaccurate my poll is in the questioning, but it it was it is and now that it is in progress I cannot change the wording. I do realize that I should have had an "Other" for a choice and usually I do, but I forgot and maybe I should have had two or three more distinct answers for those who do not quite fit the ones I have. For anyone still taking the poll, I only ask that you chose a category that best fits you and maybe leave a comment for me if you would like to give me more information that would help in the future when i take such a poll. Well, here are the descriptions for the poll art hand.

Who is What in the Creation/Evolution Debate

A CREATIONIST:
A creationist is a person who rejects the theory of evolution and believes instead that the each species on earth was put here by a Divine Being. A Creationist might accept "micro-evolution" (changes in the form of a species over time based on natural selection), but rejects the notion that one species can-- over time-- become another species.

YOUNG EARTH CREATIONIST:
A young earth creationist believes that the earth is nowhere near the 4.6 billion or so years old that most scientists estimate, but is instead closer to 6,000 or so years old, based on the assumption the Genesis contains a complete listing of the generations from Adam and Eve to historical times.

INTELLIGENT DESIGN PROPONENT:
An ID proponent might or might not reject the theory of evolution. At a minimum, the ID proponent rejects that evolution is randomly driven or, more generally, the notion that natural law and chance alone can explain the diversity of life on earth. Instead, the ID proponent argues--often from statistics--that the diversity of life is the result of a purposeful scheme of some higher power (who may or may not be the God of the Bible).

EVOLUTIONIST:
An evolutionist accepts the Darwinian argument that natural selection and environmental factors combine to explain the diversity of life we see on earth. An evolutionist may or may not believe that evolution is the way in which a Divine Being has chosen to work in the world. Evolutionists divide into various camps, including PUNCTUALISTS (who believe that evolution usually occurs sporadically, in relatively short bursts, as the result of major environmental change) and GRADUALISTS (who are more inclined to believe that evolution occurs more evenly, over longer periods of time). The PUNCTUALISTS seem now to be winning the argument.

2 comments:

  1. By your definition, I'm a creationist. Evolutionary theory is bizarre and absurd, and NOT testable and repeatable. Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is creationist theory testable and repeatable?

    ReplyDelete