Darwin theory of evolution (The Biggest Criticism)

Here, we discuss what Darwin theory of evolution actually is, its biggest criticism, and its evidence. It will be interesting for all of you.

Our Earth is full of life, with millions of different plants and animals. Some live in thick forests and jungles, while others survive in really tough places like icy glaciers and hot deserts. Birds flying in the sky make beautiful patterns as they move from one spot to another. The oceans and rivers are home to many types of underwater life. Even a tiny drop of water has lots of tiny creatures in it, and scientists think life started in water billions of years ago:

…And it is from water that We created all life. Will they not believe (in the face of all this). (Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya’, 31:23

A very long time ago, there were special gases like methane, ammonia, and hydrogen in the air around Earth. When the conditions were just right with the correct temperature and pressure, these gases mixed with water and turned into special compounds made of carbon, called organic compounds. These compounds eventually joined together to create a basic molecule called ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is like the first building block of life. RNA then changed into another important compound called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This whole process continued until the first independent living things, called cells, appeared. Cells are like the building blocks of all life.

Cells can do special things, like getting food and energy from their surroundings, reacting to things around them, having a kind of border called a cell membrane, and making new cells through reproduction. These things make living cells different from things like rocks or mountains, which don’t have these abilities.

Darwin theory of Evolution: From Tiny Cells to Diverse Life

Have you ever wondered how life changed from tiny cells a long time ago to all the different animals and plants we have today, including smart beings like us? Scientists think the most likely answer is something called the Darwin theory of evolution through natural selection. Charles Darwin first talked about this idea in 1859.

Here’s the simple version: Life started a really long time ago as simple cells, like bacteria. Over time, these cells changed and became more complicated. New types of animals and plants came from older ones. Animals of the same kind could have babies together, but they couldn’t have babies with animals from different kinds. All the different animals and plants we see now came from common ancestors, but those ancestors aren’t around anymore. This whole process took billions of years, and it happened because of something called natural selection.

What Natural Selection is?

Natural selection is when, in a group of animals or plants, there are differences in how they look or act because of their genes. For example, some might be taller or faster than others. Some of these differences can help an animal or plant survive better. So, the genes that make them better at surviving get passed on to their babies. On the other hand, genes that make it harder to survive gradually disappear. Over a really long time, certain features become more common in the group.

This happens because the animals or plants with those features survive and have babies. This process goes on for millions of years, and as the environment changes, the animals or plants change too. Eventually, they look very different from their grandparents. This whole process leads to new groups of animals or plants that are completely different from where they started.

From Fur to Feathers, Fins to Feet:

For instance, some animals of a species have more fur than others. Having more fur is useful when it’s very cold because it keeps them warm. If the temperature gets colder in their home, animals with more fur are more likely to survive. This means, over many generations, all animals in that group will end up having more fur than their ancestors.

In a similar way, female peacocks like to be with male peacocks that have a bigger and brighter tail. As time goes on, only the male peacocks with bigger, brighter tails survive, and those with smaller tails don’t.

Now, when we use the Darwin theory of evolution with fossil records of animals and plants, we can figure out how life started on Earth.

A long time ago, there were simple one-celled and multi-celled living things on Earth. Some were basic, and some were more advanced. About 570 million years ago, the Cambrian era started. In this time, we see sea animals without backbones, like marine invertebrates. Then came fish, snails, octopuses, and shrimps. We also saw the first land plants. After that, amphibians, like frogs, showed up that could live both on land and in the water.

Following that, insects and land-dwelling reptiles, such as lizards, appeared. The Jurassic era came next, where dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and some mammals, which give birth to babies instead of laying eggs, also appeared. Then, more land plants and trees started appearing.

From Reptiles to Homo Sapiens:

During this period, some new kinds of birds showed up, believed to have come from reptiles. Then, around 65 million years ago, dinosaurs vanished suddenly, and mammals started to thrive on Earth.

And God created all animals from water. Some of them crawl on their bellies, some walk on two legs, and some move on four. God makes whatever He wants. Surely, God has power over everything. (Qur’an, Surah al-Nur, 24:45).

About four million years ago, certain mammals appeared. They walked upright on two legs, similar to us. One of these species was called Australopithecus afarensis. Around 1.8 million years ago, another species called Homo erectus appeared. They had large brains, knew how to use fire, and built complex tools.

Around 300,000 years ago, another species called Homo neanderthalensis appeared. They were the closest to modern humans and lived across Europe and the Middle East. Like us, they are believed to have buried their dead. Around 28,000 years ago, they suddenly disappeared. According to the “out of Africa” theory, Homo sapiens (modern humans) are believed to have emerged in Africa 100,000 years ago and spread throughout the world, surpassing both Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis. Today, Homo sapiens dominate the Earth, with an estimated population exceeding seven billion individuals.

Also Read: Imam Ali on Thinking (Islam, Science and His Teachings)

Understanding Evolution: Simple Evidence Explained

Evolution through natural selection is the main idea in science that explains how life developed on Earth, including many types of plants and animals, including humans. Some people who don’t believe in God use this Darwin theory of evolution to say that life didn’t come from a creation by God. Let’s look at the proof that supports this idea.

1. Picking Parents for Better Traits

People have been choosing certain animals and plants to have babies for a long time. This is called artificial selection or breeding. For example, we’ve bred cows to produce more milk, horses for speed, and different types of dogs. All these different dogs come from the same family as wolves. Also, vegetables like brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower come from wild cabbage. This shows that by picking the right parents, the next generation can have very different traits.

2. Clues from Old Stuff (Fossils)

Fossils are remains of plants and animals that are really old. We can figure out their age by looking at certain elements in the rocks where we find them. Fossils tell us the order in which plants and animals appeared on Earth. They show that life started with simple things a long time ago and then more complex animals like amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals came later. Some fossils even have features of two different types of animals, suggesting they shared a common ancestor.

3. Similar Bodies and Genes

Different animals have similar body structures when you look at their bones and embryos. Human arms and dog and bird legs, for example, look alike in their bony structures. Also, early embryos of fish, tortoises, chickens, and humans look very similar. As they grow, they become different. The changes in embryos seem to follow an evolutionary pattern. This is also true for the development of organs like kidneys. Genetic material (DNA) in different species is very similar, suggesting a common ancestor.

4. Things That Don’t Make Sense (Bad Design)

Some parts of our bodies seem to have no purpose, like the appendix. This makes sense if we think about our evolutionary past. There are also examples of bad design, like the blind spot in our vision or the strange path of a nerve in our chest. If we were created by God, why do we have these features that don’t seem to make sense? They make more sense if we think about our evolutionary history.

5. Where Things Live (Geographic Evidence)

Certain islands in the oceans, like Hawaii and St. Helena, have a lot of birds, plants, and insects but no freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, or land mammals. These islands were never connected to a continent. It’s believed that birds, plants, and insects got there by flying or floating from the nearest continent. Animals that can’t do that, like fish and mammals, aren’t found on these islands. If God created everything, why are some types of animals and plants missing on these islands compared to others?

The Biggest Criticism on Darwin theory of evolution:

I mentioned before that some people use the scientific Darwin theory of evolution to argue against the existence of God. They say that since life on Earth started on its own and developed into higher forms through natural selection, God has no role in it, and therefore, God doesn’t exist.

But if we think about it a bit, this argument isn’t very strong when it comes to proving that God doesn’t exist.

A person who believes in one God can say, “What if God started life on Earth and then let it evolve into higher forms through natural selection? Maybe natural selection is just how God creates more advanced life. So, this Darwin theory of evolution doesn’t really disprove the existence of God. It just doesn’t match with the belief that life began only a few thousand years ago, as some religious texts say.”

To put it simply, the widely accepted Darwin theory of evolution in the scientific community doesn’t strongly argue against the idea of God. It just tells a different story about how life on Earth began compared to some religious beliefs.

Like any scientific idea, the Darwin theory of evolution by natural selection can be questioned. In the first chapter of this book, I explained that scientific knowledge is great because it’s based on experiments. We can test hypotheses under certain conditions, and if others repeat the same experiment, they should get the same results.

Scientific evidence comes in different levels. Some evidence is based on observations alone, which is considered a lower level. For example, we might observe that obese people are more likely to develop diabetes. To prove this, we need more experiments. Since it’s impractical to do these experiments on humans, scientists use mouse and rat models. They modify genes or feed them a high-calorie diet to make them obese, and they end up developing diabetes. This way, through experiments, we can show that obesity is linked to diabetes.

Now, let’s look at the scientific evidence for the Darwin theory of evolution by natural selection.

Evolution is something we see all around us. Everything is always changing, making the future unpredictable. Individuals, families, societies, companies, and even countries go through evolution. An individual evolves from a baby to an adult and then to an old person. We also evolve over generations – for example, children of inter-racial marriages have features from both parents. Even things like cars evolve over time.

In biology, we observe evolution too. Bacteria can evolve and become resistant to antibiotics after repeated exposure. In lung cancer, some types evolve in response to drugs. For example, a drug called Erlotinib works well for a specific type of lung cancer, but eventually, the cancer evolves and becomes resistant to the drug.

So, these examples show that evolution is a real thing, especially in biology. Now, let’s dig deeper into the evidence supporting evolution.

1. Origin of Life
   The Darwin theory of evolution suggests that life began spontaneously billions of years ago, possibly in water, through organic chemicals. To exist in its simplest form, life requires a self-replicating single cell. However, there’s no experimental evidence supporting the idea that adding specific organic molecules to water will result in a living cell. The claim of abiogenesis lacks scientific backing and is more of a speculation than a fact.
2. Prokaryotes to Eukaryotes
   Life is divided into prokaryotes (like bacteria) and eukaryotes (all other living organisms). If life started as prokaryotes, it should have evolved into more complex eukaryotes. However, experiments with E.Coli bacteria over two decades did not show any transformation into eukaryotes. The lack of evidence suggests a gap in supporting the idea that prokaryotes can spontaneously evolve into eukaryotes.
3. Macroevolution
   The Darwin theory of evolution claims that entirely new animal phyla and kingdoms can evolve over millions of years. However, there’s no observed evidence of a distinct and more sophisticated species emerging from simpler ones. While slight adaptations occur, proving major changes in anatomy and biochemistry needed for macroevolution remains a challenge. Current evidence is more speculative than factual.
4. Homology in Animals
   Similarities in DNA, biochemical processes, and organ systems are often attributed to evolution. However, these could also suggest a common Creator using a similar design for different organisms. Analogously, various bakery products share basic ingredients but don’t evolve into each other. The argument for homology doesn’t necessarily prove evolution; it could also support the idea of a common Creator.
5. Artificial Selection/Breeding
   Breeding can alter characteristics, but organisms generally stay within their kind. Mating a donkey with a horse produces a mule, but most mules are sterile, suggesting limitations to interbreeding and potential evolutionary dead ends. This challenges the idea that new species could spontaneously arise through interbreeding in nature.
6. Bad Design
   Some argue that poorly designed organs support evolution over intelligent design. Examples include the blind spot in human vision and the course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. However, these structures serve crucial purposes in medicine. Aging and susceptibility to injuries and diseases may be part of a design or purpose beyond our current understanding.
7. Geographic Evidence
   Islands often have limited types of animals due to their geographical isolation. However, this doesn’t necessarily support evolution, as the existing species could have migrated from nearby land. The lack of expected evolutionary transitions in these habitats raises questions about the universality of evolution.
8. Fossil Evidence
   Fossil evidence shows a gradual emergence of life, but it doesn’t prove one type evolved directly into another. The temporal sequence of appearances doesn’t confirm the process of transformation. Macroevolution remains speculative, lacking concrete scientific evidence.

In summary, while microevolution (small-scale changes) is well-supported, macroevolution (large-scale transformations) remains largely speculative. The gaps in experimental and observational evidence challenge the claim that evolution is an established scientific fact.

Conclusion:

In the end, we’ve learned a lot about how life changed from tiny cells to the many different plants and animals we have today. This is thanks to a concept called the Darwin theory of evolution, which talks about how living things evolve over a really long time.

We discussed things like natural selection, where helpful traits get passed down to the next generation, and we looked at evidence supporting this idea, like fossils and where different animals live.

But, there’s a big criticism some people have. They say the Darwin theory of evolution goes against the idea that a higher power, like God, created everything. However, it’s possible to believe in both – that God started life and let it evolve over time.

In the world of science, we always question and test ideas. We went through different parts of the theory, like how life began and the big changes over millions of years. Some areas don’t have strong proof, and that’s okay – it’s part of the scientific process.

So, in simple terms, the Darwin theory of evolution doesn’t have to clash with the belief in God. It’s just a different way of looking at how life started and developed. As we explore these ideas, let’s keep an open mind and enjoy the ongoing journey of understanding life on our amazing planet.

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Acknowledgment and Credits:

All the content in this blog is inspired by the wisdom of God and the principles of science. Authors: Syed Hasan Raza Jafri. Foreword by: Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. Rewritten and rephrased by the ImamandScience Blog Writing Team. We want to give full credit to © Copyright 2018 Syed Hasan Raza Jafri for the original content. If you have any concerns about copyright issues, feel free to contact us. Your feedback is valuable to us!