By Taylor Nicks
I would like to wish a very happy birthday to the late Charles Darwin (Feb. 12 1809 - April 19, 1882). Darwin is most famous for his book published in 1859 "On the Origin of Species."
It was in this book Darwin first publicized his theory of evolution through natural selection.
His work has been enormously influential within the scientific community while considered a blasphemous affront to traditional creationist philosophies.
Our modern scientific world is dominated by topics influenced by priciples of evolution and adaptation. Diseases and viruses are becoming increasingly more resistant to our treatment methods and global warming poses new and unforeseen issues worldwide.
Religious fundamentalists still seek to abolish evolution from the classroom in the fear of undermining the Bible.
The real fear, the legitimate fear, exists in the implications of the abolition of evolution in school curricula
Opponents of evolution lose sight of one of the most important aspects of scientific development: the sharing of information.
Let us look at the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria, for example. Bacteria and viruses are becoming increasingly more resistant to every type of antibiotic we throw at them.
As these bacteria become resistant to a particular form of antibiotic, doctors are forced to prescribe stronger and stronger antibiotics in increasingly higher doses.
This becomes a problem when the dosage necessary to fight the disease becomes equally, or more dangerous than the disease itself.
A constant struggle exists between scientists and bacteria as each fight to gain the upper hand.
What does this have to do with Darwin and evolution?
The very same mechanism proposed by Darwin as the vehicle of evolution (natural selection) is the same mechanism used by the bacteria to adapt to our treatments.
Natural selection and evolution are integral to understanding and fighting these herculean diseases and, ultimately, saving lives.
Global warming poses numerous threats, but how can we accurately assess the threats to the biological world?
The answer once again lies in the understanding of natural selection. By understanding how nature adapts to environmental stresses we can more accurately predict the effects of the changing environment on various species.
Scientists worldwide are integrating Darwin's theory into their assessment of which species will be threatened and the steps we might be able to take to mitigate the threat of thier destruction.
That was just two among innumerable examples of serious scientific issues which rely heavily on the understanding of evolution and natural selection.
With the importance of scientific discovery in mind, I find it irrational and, to be blunt, stupid to not teach evolution in the classroom.
The children in our society are the ones who have to be educated on what is real in order to have any chance at continuing these fights.
Understanding biology without knowledge of natural selection is like asking scientists to study astronomy without a telescope.
The question I propose is this: Should we forsake a basic, vital understanding of the natural world, an understanding necessary to save human life, based on nothing more than the paranoia of reactionary zealots?
If we throw away natural selection we throw away knowledge that brings us hope.
Besides, it isn't exactly absurd to think of religion without Adam and Eve. Jonas probably never saw the inner workings of a whale, but that doesn't undermine the entire Bible. Why should this?
I am extremely grateful for the imagination of Charles Darwin. I am grateful for the possibilities he created and the thoughts and debates he inspired and I once again wish him a very, very happy birthday.
?Taylor Nicks is a junior biology major
