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Evolution Taught in the US
A map of how much Evolution is taught in the US.
So why are so many states teaching a hypothesis as a fact?
Map courtesy of Strange Maps
03 Apr 2007 Brian Purkiss
Evolution is far from just a hypothesis, and evolution as is actually an observed (therefore factual) process. Evolution can be defined as the change in allele frequency in a population over the course of a generation or multiple generations. We see this quite frequently, and in species with very short gestation speciation has even been documented.
Now as for the theory of evolution, this is a model of how the process of evolution has progressed and allowed for the current state of biodiversity seen on Earth. The word “theory” is used here, not the word “hypothesis”, and in science these two words carry very different meanings. A theory may be tested with a specific hypothesis, or with a set of several hypothesis, but is not a hypothesis in and of itself. A theory in science is a model, containing various pieces of data, various “laws” in some cases, and is always self consistent. Theories that are still scene as viable to science have also been tested, and although they may never be “proven”, they can be disproven if such evidence exists to disprove them. After 150 years scientists have been unable to disprove evolution, and have only found more evidence substantiating evolution. Of course true “Darwinian Evolution” is not entirely correct, it was only a starting point, just as Newtonian and Gallilean Physics were not entirely correct, they did however give us good starting points to work from. Since Darwin we have discovered undeniable evidence that many species (if not all) share common ancestry. Such evidences include shared endogenous retroviruses, mtDNA, DNA, and fossil evidence. Of course fossil evidence on its own really could be seen as circumstantial, but it does further confirm that conclusions that can be drawn from the solid genetic evidence.
I suppose you may have attended school in one of those states where the treatment of evolution in the classroom was “unsatisfactory” so your confusion over the issue is excusable.
You say Evolution is observed - please give me an example.
Also - I believe Evolution cannot be experimented. Why? I’ll explain.
Evolution is a process that requires chance, natural conditions, and no instigator. As soon as you try and set something up in a lab you eliminate those factors. You have no chance (the scientist makes sure specific things happen), the conditions are controlled, and you have a knowledgeable instigator - none of the factors in evolution.