Hi
,
Sometimes, terms we use can be confusing. For example, the term "evolution", to most people, means "Darwinism". But, the word evolution simply means change. So, in a very real sense, certain things do indeed evolve (change). For example, languages change. In the natural world, Darwin saw finches that were
changing in small ways. However, he was seeing minor, genetic changes within a "kind" of creature called a finch. But, the finches stayed finches - they didn't turn into something else, like a crow or an owl. Darwin's version of evolution requires new information to be added to the finches that would eventually turn them into a different kind of bird, or even a completely different kind of creature. These small, genetic changes happen all the time in nature
within each kind of animal, and is how, for example, we wound up with the huge variety of dogs we have on the earth today. They're all dogs, but they descended from the original "dog kind", whatever that might have looked like. There's no Darwinian evolution going on here.
These small changes within a specific kind of creature are sometimes referred to as
"micro-evolution". Micro-evolution is indeed an observable fact. However, there is another term that sounds similar. It's "macro-evolution". Macro-evolution is never observed; it is only assumed. Macro-evolution is Darwinism. Darwinism claims that one kind of creature can turn into another if given enough time and chance. This is pure assumption and has never been observed.
A college student once asked me if many, many micro-evolutionary steps eventually equal one macro-evolutionary step. The answer is "no", even though this is what evolutionists assume happens. The fact is that micro-evolutionary steps actually lead away from Darwinism since they don't, and can't, add new information. Information can be corrupted, switched off, weeded out, etc. in these
many, many micro-evolutionary steps, but that's hardly what Darwin needed! It winds up being the opposite!
So, in order not to confuse people, I personally prefer not to use terms that include the word "evolution". Next week, we'll look at some other words that can cause confusion regarding the origins
issue...
