Evolution teaches that we are animals and to behave as such
From EvoWiki
Contents |
Claim
Evolution teaches that people are animals. We should not be surprised when people who are taught that start behaving like animals.
Source
- MacArthur, John F., Jr., The Implications of Evolution (Selected Scriptures) [1]
Responses
- Biology teaches that we are animals. A creationist named Carolus Linnaeus included this basic fact in his taxonomy of life when it was written in 1735, long before evolutionary biology developed. The evidence for this came from comparative anatomy and physiology and has since been confirmed in great detail by genetics and molecular biology. Scientifically, an animal is simply a multicellular eukaryotic mononucleate organism that lacks a cell wall and does not perform photosynthesis.
- Creationists who use this claim fail to realize that evolutionary biology is descriptive, not prescriptive. Merely noting our physical forms does not place or remove any moral obligations.
- If humans are animals, then "behaving like animals" is circular. Anything humans do is behaving like animals by definition. Perhaps the creationists mean behave like other animals. If so, which ones? Animals have diverse behaviors analogous to most actions we would consider good or evil. Behaving like animals is a vague statement. Non-human animals do not engage in wars, genocide, or slaughter each other over religious, behavioral, or morphological differences, so behaving like animals could be seen as an improvement.
- This argument is often amended to state that Evolution teaches we are just animals. It should therefore be noted that Evolution doesn't say whether or not humans are the creations of God or if we have souls. We can simultaneously be evolved animals and the spiritual children of God. Evolution is irrelevant to that belief.
- The moral repercussions of evolutionary theory are no decider of its relevance.
- By this same flawed reasoning, if the theory of evolution says humans are animals, the "theory" of Creationism says humans are dirt. Presumably, those who claim that evolution teaches us we should behave like animals believe that we should be as dumb as dirt.
- Even if Evolution does teach that we are animals and to behave as such, that has no effect on it being true. Most intelligent people are interested in believing what is true, not what leads to virtue.
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Fallacies contained in this claim
- Appeal to Consequences (evolution makes us animals, we can't have that)
- Naturalistic fallacy (confusing "is" with "ought")
- Genetic Fallacy (something's nature is necessarily determined by its origins)
External Links
- Mark Isaak's page for this claim [2]
- CreationWiki's comments [3]
Related claims
- Evolution is the foundation of an immoral worldview
- Crime rates etc. have increased since evolution began to be taught
- Evolution leads to social darwinism
- Evolution encourages promiscuity and lust
- Homosexuality receives approval from evolutionists
