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Evolutionism

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This article is about the term. For the field/s of study, seeEvolutionary biology § Subfields.

Evolutionismis a term used (usually derogatorily) to denote thetheory of evolution.Its exact meaning has changed over time as the study of evolution has progressed. In the 19th century, it was used to describe the belief that organisms deliberately improved themselves through progressive inherited change (orthogenesis).[1][2]Theteleologicalbelief went on to includecultural evolutionandsocial evolution.[1]In the 1970s, the term "Neo-Evolutionism" was used to describe the idea that "human beings sought to preserve a familiar style of life unless change was forced on them by factors that were beyond their control."[3]

The term is most often used bycreationiststo describe adherence to the scientific consensus on evolution as equivalent to asecular religion.[4]The term is very seldom used within the scientific community, since the scientific position on evolution is accepted by the overwhelming majority of scientists.[5]Because evolutionary biology is the default scientific position, it is assumed that "scientists" or "biologists" are "evolutionists" unless specifically noted otherwise.[6]In thecreation–evolution controversy,creationists often call those who accept the validity of the modern evolutionary synthesis "evolutionists" and the theory itself "evolutionism".

19th-century teleological use[edit]

Before its use to describe biological evolution, the term "evolution" was originally used to refer to any orderly sequence of events with the outcome somehow contained at the start.[7]The first five editions of Darwin's inOrigin of Speciesused the word "evolved", but the word "evolution" was only used in its sixth edition in 1872.[8]By then,Herbert Spencerhad developed the concept theory that organisms strive to evolve due to an internal "driving force" (orthogenesis) in 1862.[7]Edward B. Tylor and Lewis H Morgan brought the term "evolution" to anthropology though they tended toward the older pre-Spencerian definition helping to form the concept ofunilineal (social) evolutionused during the later part of what Trigger calls the Antiquarianism-Imperial Synthesis period (c1770-c1900).[9]The term evolutionism subsequently came to be used for the now discredited theory that evolution contained a deliberate component, rather than the selection ofbeneficial traitsfromrandom variationbydifferential survival.

Modern use by creationists[edit]

The termevolutionis widely used, but the termevolutionismis not used in thescientific communityto refer toevolutionary biologyas it is redundant and anachronistic.[6]

However, the term has been used by creationists in discussing thecreation–evolution controversy.[6]For example, theInstitute for Creation Research,in order to imply placement of evolution in the category of 'religions', includingatheism,fascism,humanismandoccultism,commonly uses the wordsevolutionismandevolutionistto 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.[10]TheBioLogos Foundation,an organization that promotes the idea oftheistic evolution,uses the term "evolutionism" to describe "the atheistic worldview that so often accompanies the acceptance of biological evolution in public discourse." It views this as a subset ofscientism.[11][non-primary source needed]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^abAllen, R. T.; Allen, Robert W. (1994).Chambers encyclopedic English dictionary.Edinburgh: Chambers. p. 438.ISBN978-0-550-11000-8.a widely held 19c belief that organisms were intrinsically bound to improve themselves, that changes were progressive, and that acquired characters could be transmitted genetically. The belief was also extended to cultures and societies, and to living organisms.
  2. ^Carneiro, Robert, L. (2003).Evolutionism in cultural anthropology: a critical history.Cambridge, MA: Westview Press. pp. 2–3.ISBN978-0-8133-3766-1.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^Trigger, Bruce(1986)A History of Archeological ThoughtCambridge University Press pg 290
  4. ^Ruse, Michael(March 2003)."Perceptions in science: Is Evolution a Secular Religion? -- Ruse".Science:299 (5612): 1523.Retrieved2008-12-05.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.
  5. ^"Nearly all scientists (97%) say humans and other living things have evolved over time",Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, MediaArchived2009-11-08 at theWayback Machine,Pew Research Center,9 July 2009
  6. ^abcGough, J. B. (1983)."The Supposed Dichotomy between Creationism and Evolution".National Center for Science Education.Retrieved2009-09-24."...to say a person is a scientist encompasses the fact that he or she is an evolutionist."
  7. ^abCarneiro, Robert L.(Léonard) (2003)Evolutionism in cultural anthropology: a critical historyWestview Press pg 1-3
  8. ^Darwin, Charles (1986). Burrow, JW (ed.).The Origin of Species(reprint of 1st ed.). Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Classics. p. 460.ISBN978-0-14-043205-3....from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being,evolved(italics not in original)
  9. ^Trigger, Bruce (1986)A History of Archaeological ThoughtCambridge University Press pg 102
  10. ^Linke, Steven (August 28, 1992)."A Visit to the ICR Museum".TalkOrigins Archive.Retrieved2008-12-05.In fact, true science supports the Biblical worldview... However, science does not support false religions (e.g. atheism, evolutionism, pantheism, humanism, etc.)
  11. ^"How is BioLogos different from Evolutionism, Intelligent Design, and Creationism".The BioLogos Foundation.Retrieved2012-01-19.While BioLogos accepts evolution, it emphatically rejects evolutionism, the atheistic worldview that so often accompanies the acceptance of biological evolution in public discourse. Proponents of evolutionism believe every aspect of life will one day be explained with evolutionary theory. In this way it is a subset of scientism, the broader view that the only real truth is that which can be discovered by science. These positions are commonly held by materialists (also called philosophical naturalists) who deny the existence of the supernatural.

References[edit]

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