Saturday, December 31, 2005

Evolution vs. intelligent design battle not new

- Paul L. Allen

Tucson Citizen

Lookin' back sometimes sheds light on the reason we humans have come up with the maxim: "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

If you've followed the headlines recently, you're aware of the controversy over evolution vs. intelligent design.

The ID folks, particularly the so-called religious right, would like today's students to have equal access to the theory that an intelligent entity (i.e., a deity or other omnipotent being) made humans in our current form.

They'd like that explanation to counterbalance the theory of evolution, which holds that we humans evolved into our current mode as a result of eons of slow changes and the process of natural selection ("survival of the fittest"), as lower life forms were prompted to improve upon themselves. The ID proponents suffered a setback Dec. 20 when a federal judge in Pennsylvania opined that that theory, while "an interesting theological argument . . . is not science."

He ruled it unconstitutional for ID to be taught in public schools as a counterpoint to evolution.

For a different perspective, flash back more than 80 years to an article in the Nov. 16, 1923, edition of the Tucson Citizen. While the question was the same, there was a difference:

ID (though it was not called that then) was in the ascendency, and the then-radical theory of the evolutionary process was the underdog challenger.

Special thanks to the late Douglas D. Martin for the tip on the 1923 article, one of many period highlights in his book, "An Arizona Chronology," published posthumously (edited by Patricia Paylore) by University of Arizona Press in 1966.

An across-the-page banner headline on Page 2 of the Citizen announced "Program of Pro-Evolution 'Flying Squadron' of Scientists is Made Public Today."

That was followed by two additional deck headlines: "Dean Lockwood Says Lectures by Profs Not Controversial," and "Roundtable is Development of Attack by Churchmen."

A phalanx of professors, with specialties in entomology, philosophy, biology, archaeology, arts and sciences and astronomy, were to speak individually over a number of weeks in a series offered as a "contribution to intellectual and religious life of the community." Free discussion was encouraged.

The article noted that months earlier, a city preacher had announced his opposition to the teaching of evolution at the University of Arizona, and vowed to "make an attack" upon such teaching - verbal, one would assume, the world being a bit more civil then than now.

It noted further that "The movement to revive the question is not local, but spread over the entire United States, where a number of cities have come to active campaigns in attempting to have legislation passed to prohibit the teaching of evolution."

The article concluded with the news that nationally known speaker William Jennings Bryan had agreed to come to Tucson, date still to be determined, to speak on behalf of the fundamentalists opposed to evolutionary teaching.

Scientist Charles Darwin, credited with fashioning the evolutionary theory, compiled evidence to support it for more than two decades, and between 1842 and 1844, wrote a 230-page essay on the subject.

His book, "The Origin of Species," was published in 1859, clearly and logically spelling out the notion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution.

Today, that theory is the basic foundation of all biology.

Paul L. Allen can be reached at 573-4588 or pallen@tucsoncitizen.com. For more history coverage, go to www.tucsoncitizen.com/history.

Tidbits from Martin book

Other nuggets from the late Douglas D. Martin's "An Arizona Chronology":

"Jan. 16, 1920 - Arrival of vagrants for the winter season drives Phoenix City Council to organize a chain gang."

"May 13, 1920 - Tucson hurls charges that Phoenix is holding up its census figures . . . until it can discover how many "additional uncounted residents" must be reported to put city ahead of Tucson."

"Oct. 25, 1923 - Inspired by one of Harold Bell Wright's novels, New Yorkers organize $100,000 corporation to back hunt for lost 'Mine with the Iron Door' in the Catalina Mountains."