Truth in Science

This textbook does not mention that the gaps in the fossil record pose a serious problem for Darwinism. Nor is the Cambrian explosion described, where most of the major types of animal appear fully formed, with no fossil evidence that they branched off from a common ancestor. In addition, it fails to mention that the neat 'geological column' is never found fully complete in any one location, but is rather pieced together through an assumed 'deep time' correlation between different sites across the globe. For a more detailed analysis, see The Fossil Record.

“The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria” is described but surprisingly is not called 'evolution' (p. 105).

In a later chapter on Locomotion, it is claimed that wings are believed to have been adapted from the front legs of vertebrates that did not fly (p.142). Diagrams show the similarities between the pentadactyl limbs of humans, birds, bats, orang-utans, horses, whales and moles, and the text claims the fact that this general pattern exists in so many different vertebrates suggests that they have all evolved from a common ancestor. For a different suggestion see: Homology in Vertebrate Limbs.

Teaching controversy?

Readers are misled into thinking that Darwinism was almost universally accepted in the early 20^th Century. The only controversies taught are those between Darwinism and Lamarckism, and historical controversy in the 19^th Century.

When Darwin published his theory of evolution in 1859 there was a great deal of opposition to the ideas contained in it. Most opposition came from those people who considered that Darwin’s ideas were a serious challenge to the religious teachings about the story of creation. Even many scientists criticised the ideas because:

• There was no laboratory proof so it must remain a theory
• Natural selection did not explain the big changes shown by the fossil record
• There was no explanation as to how variations within a species arise, nor how they were passed on to future generations.

Gradually during the rest of his lifetime Darwin’s ideas became more acceptable. But it was not until early in the 20th century , when Mendel’s work on genetics was used to help explain the process of natural selection, that Darwin’s ideas were almost universally accepted.” (page 106).

The claim that Darwin’s ideas were almost universally accepted in the early 20^th Century is false. It was not until 1940 that the modern evolutionary synthesis (or neo-Darwinism) emerged and renewed the popularity of Darwin’s ideas. Before that, Darwinism had been in a state of eclipse. Even today, it is not true that acceptance of Darwinism is “universal.” For example, An Opinionpanel Research Survey in July 2006 found that 30% of University Students in the UK believe in creation or intelligent design.

The textbook uses the false claim that Darwinism is universally accepted to gloss over the fact that two of the three scientific criticisms of Darwinism it mentions which arose in the 18^th century still stand today. Darwinism has not been proven, and still remains a theory, and natural selection still cannot explain the “big changes shown by the fossil record.” Pupils will probably assume that if Darwinism is now universally accepted; these criticisms must have been overcome, but this is not the case. The textbook also fails to mention more modern scientific criticisms of Darwinism which have arisen in the past 50 years due to rapid advances in molecular and cell biology.