捍衛(wèi)進(jìn)化論仍必要
美國生物科學(xué)院主席Judith S. Weis正發(fā)動(dòng)全國的力量來“捍衛(wèi)”進(jìn)化論。研究所看到來自學(xué)校董事會(huì)和政府部門的反對(duì)和冷漠，盡管如此，Weis仍帶領(lǐng)大家為捍衛(wèi)進(jìn)化論而努力。
研究所認(rèn)為美國的進(jìn)化論教育由于神創(chuàng)論教育和高中完全缺少達(dá)爾文理論的講授而減少?！皼]有命令要求學(xué)校教授進(jìn)化論。高中老師有時(shí)就忽略了它。然而，從生物學(xué)家的角度來看，進(jìn)化論是生物學(xué)的中心理解，是萬物存在的基礎(chǔ)?！盬eis說?！安恍业氖牵诿绹S多地方和美國生物科學(xué)院，講授進(jìn)化論成了一個(gè)政治事件，作為生物學(xué)家的代表，我想為進(jìn)化論教育而疾呼。”
Weis說生物科學(xué)院正和美國地理學(xué)院和國家生物教師聯(lián)合會(huì)及其80多個(gè)成員組織合作來對(duì)抗來自政治上和法律上的關(guān)于教授進(jìn)化論的威脅。在國內(nèi)，面對(duì)進(jìn)化論教育的挑戰(zhàn)，生物科學(xué)院寄信給學(xué)校董事會(huì)和國家立法機(jī)關(guān)，在公眾會(huì)議上展示證據(jù)，通知其成員及聯(lián)合組織，生物科學(xué)院擁有80多個(gè)成員社團(tuán)和250000個(gè)成員。它建立了一個(gè)電子郵件系統(tǒng)使各州的科學(xué)家和成員社團(tuán)能相互聯(lián)合，先知進(jìn)化論教育面臨的威脅。
達(dá)爾文的進(jìn)化論主張生物變化以適應(yīng)他們的環(huán)境，并且現(xiàn)有物種(包括人類)是由早期物種經(jīng)過自然選擇的改造遺傳下來的。這個(gè)理論已經(jīng)被科學(xué)家接受了近100年，Weis說，并且由于古生物學(xué)的發(fā)現(xiàn)和生物學(xué)的發(fā)展而被完善、拓展、加強(qiáng)。
基因、分子生物學(xué)和整組遺傳因子方面的發(fā)現(xiàn)——這些都對(duì)人類健康大有好處——如果離開進(jìn)化論是不可能實(shí)現(xiàn)的。而且，Weis補(bǔ)充說，“現(xiàn)代分子生物學(xué)和基因?qū)W加深了我們對(duì)進(jìn)化論的認(rèn)識(shí)。”然而，進(jìn)化論仍是政治性而非科學(xué)性的爭議問題。
Weis說僅今年，七個(gè)州的地方性或全州性地減少了進(jìn)化論教育或使其處于和神創(chuàng)論教育同等的地位。神創(chuàng)論是指從宗教上相信物種是由一種更高級(jí)的力量，例如上帝分別創(chuàng)造?！皹O少有人使用‘神創(chuàng)論”這個(gè)詞，因?yàn)樗黠@?！盬eis說“目前使用的術(shù)語是‘天才的設(shè)計(jì)’”。
Defending the Theory of Evolution Still Seems Needed
Judith S. Weis, a biology professor who serves as president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is leading a nationwide effort to “defend” the theory of evolution. Weis leads the effort in the face of what the institute views as opposition and indifference from school boards and government entities.
The Institute believes that the teaching of evolution in America is being diminished by the teaching of creationism as well as by an overall lack of teaching Darwin’s theory in high school. “There’s nothing that requires schools to teach evolution. Sometimes teachers in high schools just leave it out. However from the point of view of biologists, evolution is the central theory of biology upon which everything is based,” said Weis. “Unfortunately, teaching evolution has become a political issue in many parts of the country and AIBS, as a representative of biologists, wanted to be a major force speaking out in favor of its teaching.”
Weis said the institute is working together with the American Geological Institute and the National Association of Biology Teachers and its 80-plus member organizations to address the political and legislative threats to teaching evolution. In states challenging its teaching, the institute responds by sending letters to school boards and state legislatures, by providing testimony at public meetings and by notifying members and affiliated organizations. AIBS, with more than 80 member societies and 250,000 members, has established an email system enabling scientists and teachers in each state, and member societies, to keep each other informed about threats to the teaching of evolution.
Darwin’s theory of evolution holds that living things change and adapt to their environment and that present-day species (including human beings) are descended from earlier species through modification by natural selection. The theory has been accepted by scientists for nearly 100 years, Weis said, and has been refined, extended and strengthened over the years by findings in paleontology and developmental biology. Discoveries in genetics, molecular biology and genomics—all of which provide significant benefits for human health—would not be possible without the underlying knowledge of evolution. And, Weis adds, “modern molecular biology and genomics have increased our understanding of how evolution works.” Nonetheless, evolution remains a politically, if not scientifically, controversial issue.
美國生物科學(xué)院主席Judith S. Weis正發(fā)動(dòng)全國的力量來“捍衛(wèi)”進(jìn)化論。研究所看到來自學(xué)校董事會(huì)和政府部門的反對(duì)和冷漠，盡管如此，Weis仍帶領(lǐng)大家為捍衛(wèi)進(jìn)化論而努力。
研究所認(rèn)為美國的進(jìn)化論教育由于神創(chuàng)論教育和高中完全缺少達(dá)爾文理論的講授而減少?！皼]有命令要求學(xué)校教授進(jìn)化論。高中老師有時(shí)就忽略了它。然而，從生物學(xué)家的角度來看，進(jìn)化論是生物學(xué)的中心理解，是萬物存在的基礎(chǔ)?！盬eis說?！安恍业氖牵诿绹S多地方和美國生物科學(xué)院，講授進(jìn)化論成了一個(gè)政治事件，作為生物學(xué)家的代表，我想為進(jìn)化論教育而疾呼。”
Weis說生物科學(xué)院正和美國地理學(xué)院和國家生物教師聯(lián)合會(huì)及其80多個(gè)成員組織合作來對(duì)抗來自政治上和法律上的關(guān)于教授進(jìn)化論的威脅。在國內(nèi)，面對(duì)進(jìn)化論教育的挑戰(zhàn)，生物科學(xué)院寄信給學(xué)校董事會(huì)和國家立法機(jī)關(guān)，在公眾會(huì)議上展示證據(jù)，通知其成員及聯(lián)合組織，生物科學(xué)院擁有80多個(gè)成員社團(tuán)和250000個(gè)成員。它建立了一個(gè)電子郵件系統(tǒng)使各州的科學(xué)家和成員社團(tuán)能相互聯(lián)合，先知進(jìn)化論教育面臨的威脅。
達(dá)爾文的進(jìn)化論主張生物變化以適應(yīng)他們的環(huán)境，并且現(xiàn)有物種(包括人類)是由早期物種經(jīng)過自然選擇的改造遺傳下來的。這個(gè)理論已經(jīng)被科學(xué)家接受了近100年，Weis說，并且由于古生物學(xué)的發(fā)現(xiàn)和生物學(xué)的發(fā)展而被完善、拓展、加強(qiáng)。
基因、分子生物學(xué)和整組遺傳因子方面的發(fā)現(xiàn)——這些都對(duì)人類健康大有好處——如果離開進(jìn)化論是不可能實(shí)現(xiàn)的。而且，Weis補(bǔ)充說，“現(xiàn)代分子生物學(xué)和基因?qū)W加深了我們對(duì)進(jìn)化論的認(rèn)識(shí)。”然而，進(jìn)化論仍是政治性而非科學(xué)性的爭議問題。
Weis說僅今年，七個(gè)州的地方性或全州性地減少了進(jìn)化論教育或使其處于和神創(chuàng)論教育同等的地位。神創(chuàng)論是指從宗教上相信物種是由一種更高級(jí)的力量，例如上帝分別創(chuàng)造?！皹O少有人使用‘神創(chuàng)論”這個(gè)詞，因?yàn)樗黠@?！盬eis說“目前使用的術(shù)語是‘天才的設(shè)計(jì)’”。
Defending the Theory of Evolution Still Seems Needed
Judith S. Weis, a biology professor who serves as president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is leading a nationwide effort to “defend” the theory of evolution. Weis leads the effort in the face of what the institute views as opposition and indifference from school boards and government entities.
The Institute believes that the teaching of evolution in America is being diminished by the teaching of creationism as well as by an overall lack of teaching Darwin’s theory in high school. “There’s nothing that requires schools to teach evolution. Sometimes teachers in high schools just leave it out. However from the point of view of biologists, evolution is the central theory of biology upon which everything is based,” said Weis. “Unfortunately, teaching evolution has become a political issue in many parts of the country and AIBS, as a representative of biologists, wanted to be a major force speaking out in favor of its teaching.”
Weis said the institute is working together with the American Geological Institute and the National Association of Biology Teachers and its 80-plus member organizations to address the political and legislative threats to teaching evolution. In states challenging its teaching, the institute responds by sending letters to school boards and state legislatures, by providing testimony at public meetings and by notifying members and affiliated organizations. AIBS, with more than 80 member societies and 250,000 members, has established an email system enabling scientists and teachers in each state, and member societies, to keep each other informed about threats to the teaching of evolution.
Darwin’s theory of evolution holds that living things change and adapt to their environment and that present-day species (including human beings) are descended from earlier species through modification by natural selection. The theory has been accepted by scientists for nearly 100 years, Weis said, and has been refined, extended and strengthened over the years by findings in paleontology and developmental biology. Discoveries in genetics, molecular biology and genomics—all of which provide significant benefits for human health—would not be possible without the underlying knowledge of evolution. And, Weis adds, “modern molecular biology and genomics have increased our understanding of how evolution works.” Nonetheless, evolution remains a politically, if not scientifically, controversial issue.