Evolutionism

Evolutionism is any one of a number of theories that the form and nature of living things that exist at a given time are natural (unplanned) outgrowths of those that existed before, and the first living things arose by random events in an abiotic world. By "nature" one means the biochemistry, histology, genetic complement, etc. An evolutionist is a proponent of evolutionism.

Evolutionism 1875 to the present

• Summary of the Second, Fifth Chapter of Robert Carneiro's Evolutionism in Cultural Anthropology: A Critical History

Cultural anthropology

• Lewis Henry Morgan. Human civilizations develop linearly in a "sequence of progress" from savagery, through barbarism, to finally civilization; see Linear progress (Lewis Henry Morgan, Ancient Society, 1877)
• Neo-evolutionism

Sociology

• Sanderson, Stephen K. (1997). "Evolutionism and its Critics." Journal of World-Systems Research 3: 94 - 114. http://jwsr.ucr.edu/archive/vol3/v3n1a3.php
• Sanderson, Stephen K. (1990). Social evolutionism: A critical history. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

History of ideas

• Arthur Lovejoy

Marxist thought

There is no direct connection between Marxist thought and Natural Selection theory; they consider entirely different subject matters, the former is concerned with a supposedly superior form of social structure, the latter with the evolution of animal and animal genetics over time.

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However, in the Soviet Union, the scientific theory of evolution was neglected in favor of Lysenkoism, a variant of Lamarckism, which says that acquired traits are inherited to the next generation.

Related Topics:
Soviet Union - Lysenkoism - Lamarckism

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Main article: Dialectical materialism

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Secular Judaism

• Judaism, the secularization of Messianism into two optimistic views of progress: 1) economics of socialism or 2) politics of Zionism; see Judaism

Modern controversies

Today, the scientific community rarely uses either of the words evolutionist or evolutionism. However in America, the National Center for Science Education does use the related term "anti-evolutionism" to label the organized political and religious movement that opposes the teaching of evolution in public schools. For example, the National Center for Science Education website is dedicated to "defending the teaching of evolution in public schools," and that website offers the "resource" of a page about "Dealing with Anti-Evolutionism." http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/articles/6172_dealing_with_antievolutionism_1_9_2001.asp

Related Topics:
National Center for Science Education - Evolution

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In contrast, the words evolutionist and evolutionism are widely used by creationists and others in the United States who are opposed to the theory of evolution; they use those two words to imply that the scientific community's attachment to the theory of evolution is a matter of religious faith and is just another -ism, not a matter of scientific proof.

Related Topics:
Creationists - Theory of evolution - Religious faith - -ism

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Furthermore, Young Earth creationists sometimes use the term evolutionism to attack the empirical methods of science generally, such as attacking geology and astronomy which have concluded that the Earth and the Universe are billions of years older than the young-earth creationists believe.

Related Topics:
Young Earth creationists - Empirical methods - Geology - Astronomy - Earth - Universe

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Opponents of evolutionary theory may also use the words evolutionist and evolutionism to characterize the philosophical systems that they attack, such as atheism, agnosticism, Secular Humanism, rationalism, and materialism. Also the opponents of evolution argue that the evolutionist faith in evolutionism entices people into extremist political ideologies such as fascism, communism, and Marxism. Additionally, the opponents argue that the evolutionist's belief in evolution leads to disregard for the value of life, which disregard creationists perceive to be manifested in eugenics, assisted suicide, and abortion. The pun "evil-utionism" provides a convenient insult to make fun of those who accept evolution as the origin of human life.

Related Topics:
Atheism - Agnosticism - Secular Humanism - Rationalism - Materialism - Fascism - Communism - Marxism - Eugenics - Assisted suicide - Abortion - Pun - Evil

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In 1994, John Peloza, a High school biology teacher in California, U.S.A., sued his school board in federal court, claiming that he was being forced to teach the "religion" of "evolutionism". The federal court dismissed the case, holding that Peloza's suit was "frivolous" and requiring Peloza to pay the school board's attorneys' fees and court costs. When Peloza appealed, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that 1) "evolution" and "evolutionism" were synonymous, 2) "evolution" and "evolutionism" say nothing about "how the universe was created" or "whether or not there is a divine Creator," 3) "evolution" and "evolutionism" are not religions so the state can teach them in public schools as long as "evolution" and "evolutionism" do not state the "belief that the universe came into existence without a Creator," 4) Peloza's suit was not frivolous so he did not have to pay the school board's attorneys' fees and court costs, but 5) the Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court in dismissing Peloza's case thus allowing the state school boards to continue requiring biology teachers to teach "evolution" and "evolutionism." http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/peloza.html

Related Topics:
1994 - High school - Biology - Teacher - California, U.S.A. - School board - Federal court - Religion - Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

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