Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

Reinventing Evolution: Creationism and Contingency (Conference 1999. Part I)

In this lecture, Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education describes the battle for quality science education in America’s schools. Her presentation is funny, frightening, and clear. She warns the audience about the rising movement of “intelligent-design” creationism and explains why so many people are scared enough of evolution to keep it out of public schools.

Were humans destined to evolve into being? Skeptic Publisher Dr. Michael Shermer presents the case for evolutionary contingency — if evolution started over, the appearance of humans would not be a certainty; in fact, it would probably never happen again. Evolutionary histories are not random, but they are not strictly predictable either. He presents his “model of contingent-necessity” with vivid examples to explain how and when contingencies matter in historical sequences.