Evolution and The Local School Board

Please read through the following six posts before you read this post for the local school board:

1. Darwin's Scientific Theory of Evolution Is an Oxymoron.

2. The Evolution of Humans from a Common Ancestor with the Chimpanzee.

3. The Evolution of Whales from a Four-Footed Land Animal.

4. Does A Darwinian Evolution Have the Potential to Generate Average-Sized Functional Enzymes?

5. Darwin's Theory of Evolution Fails to Provide Evidence for Causative Agency.

6. Word Pictures

A Classification Error

For the past one hundred and sixty-six years, historical evolution has been misclassified by the scientific community as conforming to natural science. Natural science is the study of repetitive physical events that have a natural cause and are compatible with methodological naturalism. Not so with an historical evolution where each event is unique, a one time event, causative agency is indeterminate, and the events fail to conform to methodological naturalism. A Darwinian evolution merely masquerades as a scientific theory.

In the conclusion of his Memorandum Opinion in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, Judge John E. Jones III wrote, “Repeatedly in this trial, Plaintiff’s scientific experts testified that the theory of evolution represents good [natural] science, ...”¹ This falsehood cost the Dover Area School District a fair hearing and a favorable decision.

Natural Science vs. Evolution

Evolution has many characteristics that are significantly different from natural science. These differences are stated in the following comparisons.

Natural science conforms to methodological naturalism. Evolution is an historical science², and need not conform to natural science.

Natural science and scientific theories require physical events that lend themselves to repetition. In contrast, every step in an historical evolution is unique, a one-time event.

Natural science requires natural events that can be observed, tested, replicated and verified. Evolutionary events fall within an historical science where events cannot be observed, tested, replicated and/or verified.³

Natural science requires known proximate conditions. In an historical evolution, proximate conditions are lost to history, fixed, and remain unknown and unknowable.

In natural science, experimental manipulation is possible. In an historical evolution, experimentation is inappropriate.⁴

Natural science requires a definitive historical narrative. The historical narrative of evolutionary events is always tentative⁵ and thus, speculative. Each revision of the historical narrative is also tentative and never becomes definitive.

Natural science requires events that are reasonably probable. The great majority of unique evolutionary events are exceedingly improbable.

In natural science, causative agency is always natural; it conforms to methodological naturalism. In evolution, the causative agency is always indeterminate.

Natural science excludes supernatural agency by definition. Evolution allows for supernatural agency.

In natural science, a natural causative agency can always be sought out. In evolution, causative agency can be inferred by an appeal to probability, also known as an appeal to the best solution.

Since 3.9 billion years of evolution is not natural science, it must be removed from all natural science courses. A new, elective course on evolution might be called “Biological Origins.” Evolution may be “the cornerstone of biology,” but that does not mean that causative agency must be natural. “Biological Origins” allow for supernatural causative agency. What you find in evolution may be exactly what a supernatural agency sought out to do.

A Summary of the Characteristics of Evolution

Evolution occurring over the past 3.9 billion years has the following characteristics:

1. It is an historical science.

2. Each step was unique, a one-time event.

3. It was never observed.

4. It cannot be tested, replicated and/or verified.

5. Proximate conditions are fixed, unknown and unknowable.

6. Experimentation is inappropriate.

7. The historical narrative is always tentative.

8. The majority of events are exceedingly improbable.

9. Causative agency is always indeterminate.

10. It allows for supernatural agency.

11. Causative agency can be inferred by an appeal to probability. Philosophically, this is an appeal to the best solution.

Correcting an Error

Assigning the historical science of evolution to natural science is a categorical error. Moving evolution out of the natural sciences is the correction of this categorical error. The correction of a categorical error is not a scientific decision. In fact, the science community has not corrected this error over the past one hundred and sixty-six years. The decision to correct the error resides within the members of the local school board. The decision does not belong to those who are teaching the natural sciences.

The local school board is not forcing intelligent design or religion into a natural science class. Rather, the exact opposite is being done. Evolution, an historical science, is being taken out of the natural science curriculum. The study of evolution should become an elective course within "Biological Origins" or philosophy.

The teachers of biology, chemistry, and physics have no grounds to raise objections because the local school board is not talking about natural science but about an historical science.

The correction of a categorical error by the local school board is not a scientific decision but a logical decision.

Supernatural Agency in the Classroom

Teachers are not to initiate a discussion on supernatural agency.

Students are likely to bring up the topic of supernatural agency.

Teachers must allow students to refer to supernatural agency.

Teachers are to monitor inter-student discussions on supernatural agency.

Topics to Consider in a Class on "Biological Origins"

Chemical evolution: What is it? How does it work?

Evolution of First Cells into the Cells of Common Ancestry

Evolution of the Cells of Common Ancestry into Eukaryotes

Evolution of chordates to fish, fish to amphibians, amphibians to reptiles, reptiles to birds, and reptiles to mammals

Evolution of Whales from a Four-footed Land Animal

Evolution of Humans from a Common A Chimpanzee

Evidence For and Against Evolution

Geology

Fossil Record

Variations in Genes and Enzymes

Homology

Extinctions, Both Rapid and Slow

“The Cambrian Explosion”

The scientific evidence for a young earth

Probability and evolution

All opinions are valid. No “final conclusions” are to be reached. Each student is allowed to keep his own opinion.

Benefits in an Elective Course on Biological Origins

Rather than being forced to accept a false philosophy concerning origins, students would be free to examine new and interesting proposals concerning "origins".

Two or three students might collaborate on one topic. Such collaboration would foster cooperation, leadership skills, and time management.

Students should be free to choose an activity such as writing a paper, giving an oral presentation, painting a diorama, constructing a show piece, filming a video, or “whatever.”

Student participation encourages critical thinking. The students can discuss the pros and cons of various presentations, learn to make sound judgments, and learn to defend an opinion.

Students should be having fun, while at the same time learning to explain and defend their ideas.

Grading could be on a Pass/Fail system or just passed over.

Characteristics of Supernatural Agency

Who? Wise, knowledgeable, having the necessary potential.

What? Makes the necessary changes in DNA, RNA, enzymes, proteins, RNA molecules, etc.

Where? Operates on Earth. Elsewhere unknown.

When? 13.9 billion years ago- The Big Bang

6 billion years ago- Proto-solar system

3.9 billion years ago-Earth has cooled enough for chemical evolution

6,000 to 10 ,000 years ago-Young Earth Concept

Why? Scientifically unknown, unknowable and not to be addressed. To be dealt with in philosophy and/or religion and remains the concern of the parents.

An excellent resource on the foundational problems associated with an unplanned Darwinian evolution is the book:

EVOLUTION: A Theory in Crisis by Michael Dentin and published in 1986 by Adler & Adler.

Little has changed in the forty years since the publication of this book. However, the book does not adequately cover the following five issues:

1. The oxymoron relationship of "Darwin's Scientific Theory of evolution",

2. The fact that 3.9 billion years of evolution is an historical science,

3. The probability of the scenarios covered in these posts,

4. The fact that in evolution causative agency is always indeterminate, or

5. The fact that supernatural agency remains on the table.

Conclusions for the Local School Board

1. Evolution is not natural science but is an historical science.

2. Evolution, as an historical science, must be moved out of the natural sciences and into its own free standing course, "Biological Origins".

3. The causative agency of evolution is indeterminate.

4. The causative agency in evolution can be inferred by an appeal to probability.

5. Evolution by natural agencies is exceedingly improbable.

6, An historical science allows for supernatural agency.

7. It is highly probable that 3.9 billion years of evolution was brought about by supernatural agency.

Concerning the Copyright

You may reproduce and distribute the articles on this website as you see fit as long as you acknowledge my authorship on each article copied. Thank you

Endnote:

1. Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, 400 F. Supp. 2D 707 (M.D. Pa. 2005), p. 136.

2. E. Mayr, “Darwin’s Influence on Modern Thought,” Scientific American, (July 2000), p. 80.

3. Ibid & M. Dentin, EVOLUTION: A Theory in Chrisis, (1986), Adler & Adler: Chevy Chase, pp. 55 & 75.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

Fredric P. Nelson, M.D. © 2025