On Evolution: The Calgary Herald still evokes awe and outrage

Nov. 24, 2009 - PRLog -- This year is Charles Darwin’s year. It marks the 200th Anniversary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication On the Origin of Species.

On the Origin of Species is one of the most important and influential books of all time. In it, Darwin details his theory of evolution by means of natural selection, a crowning scientific achievement and one of the singular accomplishments of our species in the 200,000 or so years we have been around.

Whether, as in some Hollywood special effects blockbuster, I am confronted by aliens to justify why mankind should not be exterminated, or whether, as some religious mythologies hold, I am confronted by some god on a day of judgment as to why mankind should not be, well, exterminated, (both equally likely) what better action could I take than throwing down the gauntlet of On the Origin of Species? There is no greater testament to the pursuit of truth nor to the humility or nobility of humanity.

It is here that mankind places itself in creation. No, that is wrong. There has been enough of that nonsense. We don’t place ourselves in creation. Through Darwin, we understand and accept our place in creation. All species, all life, are products of natural evolutionary processes sharing common origins. In a single theory, Darwin connects all life.

Origin was released in London on November 24, 1859. Not surprisingly, the media is beginning to run various reports and features related to the anniversary of publication. This includes my own Calgary Herald (Canada’s largest Christian daily) and The Globe & Mail. Both contained features highlighting the work of Charles Darwin in their respective Saturday November 21 editions. The similarity, however, ends there.

The Globe & Mail ran a piece entitled Witnessing evolution with their own eyes by Ivan Semeniuk. It focuses on the work of Richard Lenski, an evolutionary biologist at Michigan State University who has been running an experiment involving bacteria for the last 21 years. The high reproductive rates of bacteria combined with the length of the experiment, has allowed Dr. Lenski and his researchers to literally see evolution taking place with the formation of a potentially new species. Dr. Lenski’s results make a lie out of creationists weak assertions that no one has actually ever seen evolution or that some biological systems demonstrate irreducible complexity that could not have evolved over time. Outside of coming close to confusing what is meant by fit in evolution (it means fit within an environment such as a glove that fits, not fit as in my daily fitness program), Mr. Semeniuk’s description of Dr. Lenski’s research proves to be an excellent vehicle for talking about, and explaining, evolution.

It also proves to be an excellent vehicle for talking about the demonization of Darwin and evolution. As noted in the article, Dr. Lenski’s striking vindication of Darwin has made him a lightning rod in the culture wars. Last year, right wing Christian activist Andy Schlafly demanded that Dr. Lenski make his data public. Dr. Lenski responded that his data was, and always has been public, published in numerous peer reviewed scientific journals.

Don’t the anti-evolution nuts like Andy Schlafly understand that evolutionary biology is a science and like all science, built on a foundation of evidence, publication, peer review and methodological rigor? Is it that they don’t read or that they can’t read?

Speaking of the scientifically illiterate, contrast Mr. Semeniuk’s article with that published in the Calgary Herald entitled Darwin still evokes awe and outrage by Allen Abel for Canwest News Service. The vehicle for Mr. Abel’s piece is a visit to the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution which is celebrating the anniversary of Origin.

Unlike the piece in the Globe & Mail, the focus of Mr. Abel is not the science but rather the so-called culture wars over evolution. Mr. Abel’s views are largely favourable towards evolution referring to it as a wondrous truth while referring to anti-evolution efforts by conservative Pat Buchanan as a fusillade of confusion. Nevertheless, Darwin still evokes awe and outrage does a disservice to Darwin, fitting in nicely into the Herald’s anti-evolution bias.

First, of course there is awe and outrage, there is with every scientific advance. There is awe and outrage with every opening of a new Starbucks. What does that say about anything other than some people will always be for it and some will be against it – regardless of what it is?

Secondly, the title and tenor of the piece promotes the myth that there is a debate over evolution. There isn’t. Evolution is the fact of life (I love that line). Certainly, there are there some nut cases that don’t believe it. There are also some people that don’t believe the Holocaust took place. Are we likely to see the headline, Holocaust still evokes certainty and doubt anytime soon in the Herald? Not likely. How about, Copernicus still evokes awe and outrage? Why won’t the Herald, in the interests of journalistic balance, give voice to all those flat- earthers out there?

It seems the editors of the Herald are simply incapable of publishing any honest, fact-based account of evolution. Anything that speaks to Darwin or evolution must be framed within a ‘culture wars – the debate continues’ context. To add evidence to this, in that same Saturday edition, the Herald published a companion piece to Darwin still evokes awe and outrage entitled, Bible literalists refute theory of evolution, also by Allen Abel. Here, Mr. Abel brings two students from Bryan College to the courtroom of the original Scopes monkey trial to debate evolution. It is a great story device that only serves to support that lie that there is, in fact, a debate.

If a level of ignorance can be awe inspiring then I am awed by the Calgary Herald. I am also outraged that a major Canadian daily, operating north of the 19th century, actively promotes anti-evolutionary nonsense under the rouse of journalistic balance.

All of which means we must be careful on how we get our information. An important concept here is credibility. When it comes to matters of science, especially evolution, The Globe & Mail has at least some. The Herald has none.

Darwin, by the way, has more than either. If you really want to know what Darwin said, what better way to find out than by reading On the Origin of Species – less than $10 in paperback. There is even a recently released illustrated edition with plenty of pictures for those who like illustrations and for the anti-evolutionists who have no alternative but to look at the pictures.

Get a copy of The Descent of Man while you’re at it. (Sorry anti-evolutionists, no illustrated version)

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