Skip to main content

Evolution Versus Creation: A Sibling Rivalry?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Structural Links between Ecology, Evolution and Ethics

Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science ((BSPS,volume 296))

  • 1120 Accesses

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that evolutionary thinking started as a secular response to the Christianity of the eighteenth century. While I agree that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was in essence scientific, I argue that Darwin’s supporters often wanted to continue to treat evolutionary thinking as a secular response to religious claims. This continues to the present, and I suggest that evolutionists should be aware of this fact and temper their thinking and behavior accordingly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bannister, R.C. 1979. Social Darwinism: Science and myth in Anglo-American social thought. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates, H.W. 1862. Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon valley. Lepidoptera: Heliconidæ. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 23: 495–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, R. 1844. Vestiges of the natural history of creation. London: J. Churchill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin, C. 1859. On the origin of species. London: John Murray.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin, C. 1862. On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. London: John Murray.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin, E. 1803. The temple of nature; or the origin of society: A poem, with philosophical notes. London: J. Johnson, St. Paul’s Church-Yard.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dennett, D.C. 1995. Darwin’s dangerous idea. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, J.S. 1927. Religion without revelation. London: Ernest Benn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. 1962. The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. (ed.). 1988. But is it science? The philosophical question in the creation/evolution controversy. Buffalo: Prometheus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 1996. Monad to man: The concept of progress in evolutionary biology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 1999a. The Darwinian revolution: Science red in tooth and claw, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 1999b. Mystery of mysteries: Is evolution a social construction? Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 2000. The evolution wars: A guide to the controversies. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 2001. Can a Darwinian be a Christian? The relationship between science and religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruse, M. 2003. Darwin and design: Science, philosophy, religion. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, H. 1851. Social statics: Or, the conditions essential to human happiness specified, and the first of them developed. London: John Chapman (published in Dec 1950).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, H. 1857. Progress: Its law and cause. Westminster Review 67(new series 11(2)): 445–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tennyson, A. 1850. In memoriam. London: Edward Moxon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whewell, W. 1840. The philosophy of the inductive sciences, founded upon their history, 2 vols. London: John W. Parker.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E.O. 1978. On human nature. Cambridge, MA/London: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E.O. 1992. The diversity of life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Ruse .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ruse, M. (2012). Evolution Versus Creation: A Sibling Rivalry?. In: Bergandi, D. (eds) The Structural Links between Ecology, Evolution and Ethics. Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, vol 296. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5067-8_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics