Ernst Mayr's What Evolution Is Essay

Through the 1920s, conflicts regarding the teachings of religious values versus Evolution, along with the increasing fight for women’s independence, caused a great deal of tension within America. Prior to the ‘20s schools taught the Bible and Christianity’s principles were stressed. It was in 1925 when Clarence Darrow defended John Scopes, a biology teacher, who was put on trial in the court for teaching the theory of Evolution (Doc C). This document illustrates the dialogue of

Bush, L. Russ. The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group. 2003.

In early 1925, Tennessee passed a law that made it illegal to teach evolution. In the summer of 1925, a young schoolteacher named John Scopes stood trial in Dayton, Tennessee, for violating the state law against the teaching of evolution (The Scopes Trial).The jury found Scopes guilty of violating the law and fined him $100 (Scopes Trial). The Scopes trial resulted in two enduring conclusions: that legislatures should not restrain the freedom of scientific inquiry, and that society should respect academic freedom (The Scopes

In the wake of the Scopes trial in Tennessee, the State of Arkansas passed an “anti-evolution” statute in 1928, that made it illegal "to teach the theory or doctrine that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animals," or "to adopt or use in any such institution a textbook that teaches the doctrine or theory that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animal.” Forty years later, the case of Epperson v. Arkansas (1968) was argued before the Supreme Court. The case originated in 1965, when Susan Epperson was hired to teach 10th grade biology at Little Rock Central High School. The local school board had recently adopted, as a part of an approved curriculum, a new biology textbook that included a section on evolution. Immediately, Epperson recognised her dilemma; that to teach the required curriculum would put her at risk for dismissal under the “anti-evolution” statute. A suit was filed to challenge the constitutionality of the statute, and the State Chancery Court of Pulaski County ruled that the statute was unconstitutional. This ruling was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1967. Upon appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court held that:

Although Darwin’s (1809-1882) work in evolutionary observation might appear radically different from those focused on other areas, the theories he developed from these observation lead to such groundbreaking publishing’s as The Origin of Species. These intern caused an upset within the then accepted norms of philosophy and religion, had a profound impact on the academia, and further

The Edwards v. Aguillard case was the first major blow against creationists in their fight for getting creationism taught in schools. In 1981, Louisiana’s state senator drafted a “Creationism Act”, which stated that wherever evolution was taught in schools, creation science should also be taught, essentially requiring that both topics be covered with equal time. Proponents of the bill claimed its intention was to protect academic freedom, but Don Aguillard, six years later, challenged the bill and filed suit, claiming it violated the Establishment Clause, which stated that there should be a separation between Church and State -- religion should not be directly involved in any part of the government. In 1987, when the Edwards v. Aguillard case

The world we reside in today could not have possibly been imagined hundreds of years ago. The mixture of ideas, hopes, and dreams from a diverse range of individuals dedicating themselves to a cause have united in order to create today's modern culture. There has been an ongoing debate over ideas of evolution, freedom, equality, and justice since the Enlightenment. Looking through the curtains of history, I believe there is no idea more commanding than Darwin’s theory of evolution. This is not to reduce the works of intellectuals alike.

The 1920’s witnessed social change dramatically change the common culture of the United States. Sinful speakeasies, flappers, and jazz were sweeping the nation, and religious conservatives were not happy with it. The scientific theory of evolution founded by Charles Darwin was spreading throughout the world, and into the classrooms of America (Margulies, et al. 70). In 1925, Tennessee passed the Butler Law, prohibiting the teaching of evolution in the state. The law would’ve been passed unnoticed if not for Lucile Milner, executive secretary of the ACLU discovering it. The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, was created in 1920 to defend men who refused to fight in World War I (Margulies, et al.74). Upon recognition of the Butler Law, the ACLU decided to fight the law by advertising for teacher who taught evolution to represent the case. Dayton, Tennessee was where they found the teacher to testify against the law. Dayton was economically struggling, and needed the boost from a major event to help benefit it. Under George Rappelyea’s leadership, the town and John Thomas Scopes agreed to represent the case.

Evolution has a long history of being debated as inappropriate to be taught in schools. Many people feel that it is important to learn about Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, but at the same time there are many who refuse to learn about it. In the Scopes Monkey Trial and in the movie Inherit the Wind a trial is going on debating the legality of teaching evolution. Though there are still issues that arise with teaching evolution it is currently accepted more than it is debated against. Evolution is a scientifically tested and proven concept and should be taught in science classes.

The Scopes Trial, a Dayton, Tennessee legal case involving the teaching of evolution within the public school system, induced a pivotal point in American history. This world-famous trial represents the ongoing conflict between science and theology, faith and reason, individual freedom of speech, and overruling opinion of the majority. The preeminent purpose of the case was to decide not only the fate of an evolution theory teacher by the name of John Scopes, but also to decide if fundamentalists or modernists would rule American culture and education. An object of profound publicity, the trial was identified as a battle between urban modernism and rural fundamentalism.

With advancements in intellect and social boundaries changing, political inconsistencies swept the nation creating widespread conflict concerning specific beliefs based in religion. The most exemplary and remembered scenario in which politics and religious beliefs wove together was a court case regarding the teaching of evolution as opposed to creation. Because religion, specifically Christianity, remained the prominent faith in America, the teaching of evolution became shocking and simply disgraceful. This court case, the Scopes trial, displays an instance in which the debate of legality in teaching evolution in a public school turned into an attack on a man’s faith as Clarence Darrow pestered W.J. Bryan about his religious beliefs and practices.

Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s Inherit the Wind provides a realistic interpretation of the 1925 Scopes Trial through the tale of Bertram Cates, an educator incarcerated for including evolution in his curriculum. One word, a colon and two simple sentences reiterate the point that society is still far from being fully scientifically advanced and tolerant of outside views. The unwillingness of society to adopt more modern viewpoints persists in society today as it did 92 years prior.

On March 13, 1925, the Tennessee state passed the Butler Law, which banned the teaching of evolution in any public school. Any teacher who committed to deny divine creation of man would be considered unlawful, and a fine from one hundred to five hundred will be charged. John Thomas Scopes was a high school science and football teacher in Dayton. George Rappelyea, a Dayton businessman’ conviction, realized the town could get enormous attention if a local teacher was arrested for teaching revolution while the town was declining that its population dropped from 3,000 to 1,800 in 1925. He convinced Scopes to do so. Scopes challenged this Butler Law by teaching Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Soon, he was arrested, and the date was decided. Scopes Trial, an instance of conflicts between modernity and tradition, was unfolding (ushistory.org).

Darwin’s theories and discoveries caused much controversy to the world and still does today. These controversies occur more in

The article, “A Matter of Scale,” urges the audience to observe the small and extraordinary components of the biosphere and acknowledge its genetic variations as explained by Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, Kelly’s essay, “Evolution: An Article of Faith,” considers Darwin’s theory as a “false religion” suppressing God’s ability to create the “work of intelligence.” (Evolution) The heated debate over the credibility of Darwin’s theory of evolution has led to the division of scientific and religious groups. Devoted, religious people discover two major flaws with Darwin’s theory of evolution regarding the inaccuracies of the fossil record and the contradicting phrase “survival of the fittest” that has passed on harmful mutations to next