Is it possible to teach evolution without attacking metaphysical beliefs?
Teaching evolution has nothing to do with religion, and does not attack religion. Unfortunately, a large number of religious people don’t understand science and have a poor understanding of their own religions. Because of this, they incorrectly see evolution as a threat to their beliefs. It is these people who attack science and evolution. As an example, they attack science by trying to force creationism into science classes. Notice that you never see scientists trying to force churches to teach science! Additional reply: Evolution does not imply any knowledge of the origin of life. The “origin of species” is not the origin of life. We know for example that we share most of our DNA with all of the rest of life on Earth! That tells us that life on Earth likely started at one location and spread from there, but it does not tell us how it started. Even if it did, it would tell us nothing about the existence of God or anything else that is outside the scope of science. Private schools are
It is definitely possible. Start with microevolution, which hardly anyone challenges. Show what is known and how well it is supported by evidence. Continue expanding the reach of evolutionary changes and continue showing the depth of supporting evidence. Each honest inquirer should decide for himself where evidence is insufficient to support further conclusions. On the other hand, it is possible and easy to present it in a way that does attack beliefs. If your emphasis is that man is no different from apes or from the primordal ooze, then you are attacking. Abiogenesis goes far beyond evolution, and of course has by far the least evidence supporting it. In my opinion, the strongest motivation for such a theory is to be able to deny that God had anything to do with the creation of life. Of course, that’s not an honest motivation. IMO, a thinking person of faith need not be threatened by evolution, even if carried all the way through the idea that all life evolved from a single cell, thr
The question of whether teaching evolution attacks metaphysical beliefs says far more about those metaphysical beliefs than it does about evolution. Evolutionary theory is indifferent to religion; it does not attack it. Science merely tries to describe the universe in which we live in a testable rigorous way. Scientific beliefs evolve as we learn more. Specific metaphysical beliefs are not a subject for science, simply because they are outside the realm of what science can examine. Miracles are by definition not something science can address [although there is an interesting question as to whether physical laws are but reproducible miracles]. Metaphysical beliefs are not testable. I am not aware of any peer reviewed paper where anyone has actually counted the number of angels on a pin head. I know of no way that one could prove scientifically whether someone went to Heaven or Hell; such questions are by definition beyond science. Science deals with the natural universe, and the superna
