Statement on Evolution

Statement on evolution by the Society for the Study of Evolution   
"Evolution" refers both to a set of scientific facts and to a theory explaining such facts. "Evolution" refers to the scientific fact that biological organisms have changed through time, and that all life, including humanity, has descended with modification from common ancestors. Evolution is as well documented as are other currently accepted scientific facts. The theory of evolution is a comprehensive and well-established scientific explanation, based on natural processes, of the fact of biological evolution.

Statement on the teaching of evolution by the Society for the Study of Evolution
Evolutionary theory should be taught in public schools because it is one of the most important scientific theories ever generated, and because it is the accepted scientific explanation for the diversity of life. As a scientific theory, it is testable and has been extensively tested. As stated by the great geneticist and evolutionist Theodosius Dobzhansky, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." The theory of evolution is subject to refinements and revisions, but this is no different from any other major scientific theory, such as those providing the explanatory frameworks of geology, physics, or chemistry. There is no pedagogical or scientific reason to treat evolutionary theory any differently than any other well-accepted scientific theory, and it should be taught in public schools as the firmly established, accepted unifying scientific principle that it is.

To learn more about the evidence for and importance of evolution to a variety of scientific questions see the white paper "Evolution, Science, and Society."

The National Academy of Sciences Report on "Science and Creationism” states unequivocally that "creationism has no place in any science curriculum at any level...This booklet explores the nature of science, reviews the evidence for the origin of the universe and earth, and explains the current scientific understanding of biological evolution."

 

Statements by other scientific societies

American Anthropological Association
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Physics Teachers
American Chemical Society
American Geological Institute
American Geophysical Union
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Institute of Physics
American Society of Naturalists
Australian Academy of Science

Biophysical Society
Botanical Society of America
Ecological Society of America
European Society for Evolutionary Biology
Genetics Society of America
National Academy of Science
National Science Teachers Association
Society for Neuroscience
Society of Systematic Biologists

Other scientific societies

Evolution Societies

American Society of Naturalists
Association pour l'Etude de l'Evolution Biologique
Australasian Evolution Society
Biologia Evolutiva em Portugal
Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution
Ecological Genetics Group
European Society for Evolutionary Biology
European Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology
Fachgruppe Evolutionsbiologie der Deutschen Zoologischen Gesellschaft
Human Behavior and Evolution Society
International Organization of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology
International Society for Behavioral Ecology
International Society for Evolutionary Protistology
Linnean Society
Sociedad Española de Biología Evolutiva
Societa' Italiana di Biologia Evoluzionistica
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
Verband deutscher Biologen

Genetics Societies

American Genetic Association
Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences
Genetics Society
Genetics Society of America
Genetics Society of Australia
Sociedade Brasileira de Genética

Paleontology and Geology Societies

Geological Society of America
Paläontologische Gesellschaft
Paleontological Society
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

Systematics Societies

Bay Area Biosystematists
Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik
Polish Taxonomical Society
Société Française de Systématique
Society of Australian Systematic Botanists
Society of Systematic Biologists
Swiss Systematics Society
Systematics Association
Systematics Association of New Zealand
Willi Hennig Society


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