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Draft:Atheistic evolution

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Atheistic evolution (also known as dysteleological evolution) is the view referring to biological evolution occurring "apart from any supernatural process."[1][2][3] This term has been in use since at least 1906 in The Metaphysical Magazine,[4] and is contrasted with theistic evolution, which asserts that God used evolution to create the universe.[5][6] Owen Gingerich, a historian of science at Harvard University, has stated that both views are outside the domain of scientific empiricism: "Can mutations be inspired? Here is the ideological watershed, the division between atheistic evolution and theistic evolution; and frankly, it lies beyond the capability of science to prove the matter one way or the other."[7]

In the Southern United States, Gallup found that "49 percent accepted creation, 34 percent believed in theistic evolution, and only 6 percent accepted atheistic evolution."[8] A prominent supporter of atheistic evolution is Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and notable spokesperson in the New Atheism movement.[9] However, atheistic evolution has also received criticism from Francis Collins, a physician-geneticist notable for his leadership of the National Institutes of Health and Human Genome Project, who stated "A conclusion which is actually quite comfortable for me as a believer and for me as a scientist [is] that yes, Darwin was right, and a brilliant insight he had, but that all he was really doing was to deduce the mechanism of God's creation."[10]

Works Cited

  1. ^ Sweet, William (2007). Religion and the Challenges of Science. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 48. ISBN 0754687449.
  2. ^ Enns, Paul (2008). The Moody Handbook of Theology. Moody Publishers. p. 313. ISBN 0802480187.
  3. ^ Moreland, J.P. (2010). Three Views on Creation and Evolution. Zondervan. ISBN 0310873983.
  4. ^ Richmond, J.F. (1906). The Metaphysical Magazine, Volume 20. Metaphysical Publishing Company. p. 129.
  5. ^ Stamos, David (2011). Evolution and the Big Questions: Sex, Race, Religion, and Other Matters. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 1444359002.
  6. ^ Pasquini, John (2009). The Existence of God: Convincing and Converging Arguments. University Press of America. p. 26. ISBN 0761849068.
  7. ^ Gingerich, Owen (2006). God's Universe. Harvard University Press. p. 69. ISBN 0674023706.
  8. ^ Larson, Edward (2002). Trial and Error : The American Controversy Over Creation and Evolution. Oxford University Press. p. 158. ISBN 0198035233.
  9. ^ Regent University Law Review. The University of California. 1999. p. 389.
  10. ^ Baker, Jenny (2009). Test of faith: resources for schools. The Stapleford Centre. ISBN 1902234812.