University of Chicago biologist Jerry Coyne writes a blog called “Why Evolution Is True” that deals only rarely with the actual science of Darwinian evolution. Yet, true to its title, the blog gives a wonderful, continually updated summation of the main lines of thinking that underlie confidence in evolutionary theory.
Coyne mainly does two thing: Make fun of religion for being, insofar as he thinks he understands it, foolish or pretentious; and post pictures of cute cats. What makes an animal cute? Primarily it’s the similarity we perceive to human beings and especially to babies and children. Besides scanting scientific discussion in general, Coyne appears to be unfamiliar with the arguments and evidence behind Darwinism’s main scientific alternative, whether you like it or not, namely intelligent design.
So the argument for evolution goes like this:
- Many animals seem similar to humans.
- Religious explanations for this, as I understand them, seem silly.
- Ergo, Darwin.
There you have it. Not only for Coyne but for scholars with equally penetrating minds in a variety of fields, that’s “Why Evolution Is True.”
Photo credit: Antonia Daniel/Wikicommons.
