Evolution—just a theory?
On Tuesday, Florida education officials voted on new science standards that require evolution to be taught clearly and explicitly in Florida’s classrooms, but with one caveat: that evolution is labeled a theory. Before the teachers introduce evolution, I hope they teach their students what a scientific theory actually is. It is not, as the general definition connotes, a SWAG (scientific wild-ass guess), just a shot in the dark to explain things observed in nature. On the contrary, a scientific theory is defined as a comprehensive explanation that is supported by many facts gathered over time. As such, evolution is most definitely a theory.
But so is our explanation for gravity. We observe gravity and know that it’s real, but we don’t know how it works. Newton’s theory of gravitation (although superseded by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, Newton’s theory is sufficiently accurate in most cases) is our best explanation so far as to how gravity works. Why is no one up in arms, then, about teaching gravitation in the schools, because it, too, is “just” a theory?
Hopefully with these new standards, Florida will teach its students not only the meanings of scientific words but also the scientific method: making observations, forming and testing hypotheses, making predictions, and most importantly, thinking critically. Then maybe the students can make their own decisions as to whether evolution, or any other idea they might encounter, is “just” a theory.
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