EVOLUTION AND THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

Two recent unsettling events have spurred the Pittsburgh Geological Society to take an active stand on the issues of evolution and the origin of the universe.  The two events are:  1) the August, 1999 decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to eliminate the requirements for teaching macro evolution and the origin of the universe in Kansas public schools; and 2) the May 10, 2000 briefing of members of the US Congress by the Discovery Institute on "Scientific Evidence of Intelligent Design and Its Implications for Public Policy and Education."  ("Intelligent Design" is a euphemism for antiscientific, faith-based "creation science.")  This latter event took place as Congress debates legislation to overhaul federal programs for kindergarten through 12th grade education.
The Pittsburgh Geological Society recognizes that teaching proper science in primary and secondary schools is imperative if we are to have an educated citizenry who can make intelligent, rather than emotional, decisions concerning land use, the environment, and the future.  It is, therefore, crucial that students be exposed to the scientific method and all aspects of acceptable scientific laws, theories, and concepts.  This includes teaching evolutionary theory and the origin of the universe, not the pseudo science and religious belief systems espoused by those opposed to teaching evolution.

Many opponents of the teaching of evolution cite its status as a theory as part of their objection.  These people believe that a scientific theory is nothing more than a hypothesis, a belief, or mere speculation.  In fact, a scientific theory is one that has its basis in observation of the natural world, formulation of testable hypotheses, and experiments that rigorously attempt to falsify those hypotheses.  A scientific theory, therefore, is one step removed from a scientific law, such as the law of gravity or the second law of thermodynamics (entropy).  Evolution has undergone much rigorous testing over more than a century, with the result that it has gained the status of scientific theory.

Many evolution opponents attempt to portray scientists who espouse evolution and an old universe as atheists.  In fact, many scientists, including evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, anthropologists, geologists, astronomers, and cosmologists are devoutly religious.  Some even accept the scientific evidence showing that the known universe originated, and has evolved, over the last 15 billion years while believing that an omnipotent designer (God) planned and set it into motion, and is still watching over it.    These are not mutually exclusive concepts.
The Pittsburgh Geological Society accepts unequivocally that biological evolution is a scientific fact, as supported by an overwhelming amount of solid physical data.  These data, collected since the 1700s from the geological record, the fossil record, biological systematics, genetics, biochemistry, and anthropology, present indisputable evidence that all life, including humans, has evolved over the last 3.5 billion years of earth history.  In addition, evidence from geophysics, astronomy, cosmology, and mathematics demonstrates that the universe, and the earth, are very old (at least 4.5 billion years for the earth; much greater for the universe).

The Pittsburgh Geological Society stands firm in supporting the goal that evolution and the origin of the universe must be included in primary and secondary school science curricula if future generations of decision-making American citizens are to be scientifically literate concerning the dynamic world in which we all live.