Evolutionary Theory
During the Program
1.
Why are creation stories outside the realm of science?
Because they cannot be debated or tested, because they cannot be falsified
2.
When did the first written ideas about evolution first appear? What ideas did they suggest?
In early Greek writings, believed animals could be transformed from one kind to
another, another one, animals were comprised of pre-existing parts
3.
What ideas did Judaeo Christian religions present about evolution?
Creationist stories, fixity of species, no evolution they stay the same.
world is 6000 years old
4.
Who was Linnaeus?
Swedish botanist, challenged fixity of species. Invented the hierarchical
classification, there’s variation in species, not all the same but most are relatied
in some way
5.
How did Lamarck explain the long necks of giraffes?
Inheritance of aquired characteristics, developed because ancestors had to stretch
to reach food. Body parst used would get ‘bigger and better’ “use it or lose it”
other parts could disappear or get small
6.
What experiences contributed to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution?
Observation of fossils, found some high up on mountains
Variation from island to island, sea shells and animals
Influenced by ‘Lyall’a geologist that had the theories changes over time
7.
Who else was working on a similar theory? What greeted their joint publication?
Charles Wallace, theory of natural selection, same as wallace
8.
Explain survival of the fittest.
In many species more offspring that could/would survive
variants present in offspring, leaving certain ones alive letting them pass it on
and having an adapted organism that could survive easier in its environment
9.
What did Huxley agree with Darwin about? What didn’t they agree about? Explain graduation and
saltation in your answer.
Agreed about evolution and survival of the fittest but thought that evolution
would be faster than Darwin proposed. Gradualism vs Saltation (small changes
vs big jumps)
10. What was Kropotkin’s contribution to evolutionary theory? Did this fit with Darwin’s ideas?
Mutual aid between animals
11. Why was Lysenko’s work not true science?
12. How does Synthetic Theory explain the existence of variation within species?
13. What is genetic drift?
14. What is gene flow?
15. How do new species arrive through speciation? What prevents interbreeding between Pentstemon
species in California?
16. Explain the difference in beliefs of young earth creationists, old earth creationists and evolutionary
creationists.
17. What did Stephen J Gould say about the speed of evolution?
18. How did Richard Dawkins see the role of genes and DNA in evolution? He defined the term
meme. What does he mean by it?
19. What is endosymbiosis? Whose idea was this? How can the results of endosymbiosis be seen
today?
20. What is Margulis’s radical suggestion? How does the Human Genome Project offer evidence to
support her?
21. How does the Gaia Hypothesis see the earth? Who proposed this hypothesis?
22. What does Intelligent Design suggest? What are the 2 main arguments?
23. How do scientists define a law? How do they define a hypothesis?
24. What is the difference between the use of the word hypothesis in general speech and in science?
25. What are the seven criteria of a scientific theory given in the program? Briefly explain each one.
26. Why doesn’t ID satisfy these criteria?