User:Caius/galvestonletter

Last week, an editorial appeared in this newspaper criticizing the theory of evolution on the grounds that the author could not believe that she had descended from monkeys. Setting aside that this is a mischaracterization of evolution, arguments like this one, predicated upon emotion, cannot disprove a scientific conclusion. Much in the world is shocking, even disgusting and infuriating – but that does not make it false.

The author also claimed that the theory of evolution is “unproven.” While this argument is an all-too-common polemic, it rests upon a misunderstanding of science. No scientific theory will ever be definitively proven, since science is meant to (and should) change as new facts emerge. The correct inquiry is therefore whether a scientific theory is the best scientific explanation, given the evidence. Evolution is, with current knowledge, the best explanation of human origins.

Evolutionary biology is proven by nuanced logic and complex facts. For someone deciding whether to accept evolution as “true,” the easy way out is to avoid the complexity, and reject evolution on principle. I urge this paper’s readers not to take the easy route, and to instead explore all the evidence. A good place to begin may be to visit “Lucy.”

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Ames is a graduate of Rice University in Houston, Texas, and a student at New York University School of Law. He is also an administrator of the website RationalWiki.