Defining Some Terms in the Conversation About Evolution & Creation

Science – “knowledge”

Scientific Method requires: observation, testability, repeatability, falsifiability.

Steady State Theory – the universe has neither beginning nor end; it has always existed and will continue to exist forever (Sir Fred Hoyle)

Uniformitarianism – also called “gradualism” – slow and gradual, natural processes have occurred in the same manner and at the same rate throughout history. Is generally invoked to explain geological characteristics such as rock layers, erosion, sedimentary build-up, etc.)

Catastrophism – sudden, traumatic events are responsible for some or all major geological characteristics

Evolution – change of organisms into completely different organisms over time

Natural Selection – process by which organisms better suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more than those less well-suited. Is also expressed as the tendency of traits more beneficial to an organism to be ‘favoured’ in reproduction.

Darwinian evolution claims natural selection to be the means by which organisms evolve into new kinds of organisms. Non-evolutionists agree that natural selection occurs, but recognize that it only limits which genetic traits continue to exist in populations within a certain environment.

Phyletic gradualism – organisms evolve through accumulation of small changes over long periods of time (Ma)

Punctuated Equilibrium – relative stasis is occasionally interrupted by significant changes in a relatively short time period, causing major changes in the organism

“Macro-mutation” – sudden, immense change in a very short time, that radically changed the offspring of the parent organism; also called ‘saltation’ (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366 )

Computer Models – human-designed and manipulated simulations of what the designer believes can, may, or will happen in certain situations. Computer models do not represent reality unless they are limited to factual data about what is and/or has been.

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