Difference between revisions of "Creation"

From Issuepedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (Reverted edits by 167.206.55.215 (Talk) to last version by Woozle)
(→‎Overview: almost completely reworked; broken down into multiple events/questions, with separate pages for each (some TBW))
Line 1: Line 1:
−
==Overview==
+
<hide>
−
[[Category:Issues]][[Creation]] refers most commonly to theories of creation, i.e. how the universe and all its internals came to be created. The most intense interest is often focussed upon the origins of Earth, of life, and of humanity.{{seedling}}
+
[[page type::article]]
−
The predominant [[scientific]] view of creation, i.e. that the life presently on Earth [[evolution by natural selection|evolved]] from simpler forms over hundreds of millions of years, was controversial when first proposed but has become overwhelmingly [[scientific consensus|accepted]] by the [[scientific community]] due to lack of any alternative explanation which even comes close to explaining the steadily mounting [[evidence]].
+
[[thing type::definition]]
 +
[[category:terminology]]
 +
</hide>
 +
==About==
 +
"[[Creation]]" can refer to any of the following events:
 +
* the [[creation of the universe]]
 +
* the [[creation of the Earth]]
 +
* the [[creation of life]] (on Earth)
 +
* the [[creation of species]] (on Earth)
 +
* the [[creation of humans]]
  
−
This idea nonetheless continues to be opposed, mainly among the less well-informed and mainly in the {{USA}}, by religious groups who advance alternative [[informal theory|theories]] proposing that life was [[creationism|created by a supernatural force]]. In versions of the theory which have not been carefully vetted to avoid running afoul of the [[separation of church and state]] mandated by the [[US Constitution]], these theories specifically claim that this force is in fact the [[Biblical]] [[God]]; other versions, most notably [[intelligent design]], avoid any mention of religion or the supernatural and introduce scientific-sounding (but thoroughly refuted) arguments wherever possible.
+
It can also be a poetic way of referring to "everything that exists right now [or ever has existed]".
 +
==Science==
 +
There are [[scientific theories]] for each of these events, supported by varying amounts of evidence.
 +
* There is strong evidence that all matter in the univers originated in an event referred to as [[the Big Bang]]; there are a number of speculations regarding the cause of this.
 +
* There is substantial evidence that solar systems arise from the coagulation of dust-clouds surrounding a new star.
 +
* Theories of [[abiogenesis]] generally involve simple self-replicating molecules gradually [[evolving]] into single-celled organisms.
 +
* The theory of [[evolution by natural selection]] is one of the most solidly-proven theories in the history of humankind.
 +
* Evidence that humans evolved from ape-like ancestors, and that we are part of the same family of species as apes, is almost as solid as that for the theory of [[evolution by natural selection]] itself.
 +
==Creationism==
 +
It is only relatively recently -- since approximately the 1800s -- that [[science]] has begun providing [[scientific theory|plausible explanations]] for these events. Since most currently-popular religions predate these explanations, there has been considerable resistance to them from within the religious community, especially among those that hold to a literal interpretation of [[scripture]].
 +
 
 +
The most common [[religious]] [[hypothesize|hypothesis]] involves a [[mythological]] creator of the universe, most commonly known as "[[God]]", playing some role in all of these events. Despite the utter lack of any evidence or rational arguments for such a creator, much less evidence for its involvement in creating anything, many [[monotheist]]s nonetheless [[believe]] these hypotheses to be true; this belief, where it flatly contradicts scientific findings, is generally referred to as [[creationism]].
  
 
==Related Articles==
 
==Related Articles==

Revision as of 19:41, 20 August 2012

About

"Creation" can refer to any of the following events:

It can also be a poetic way of referring to "everything that exists right now [or ever has existed]".

Science

There are scientific theories for each of these events, supported by varying amounts of evidence.

  • There is strong evidence that all matter in the univers originated in an event referred to as the Big Bang; there are a number of speculations regarding the cause of this.
  • There is substantial evidence that solar systems arise from the coagulation of dust-clouds surrounding a new star.
  • Theories of abiogenesis generally involve simple self-replicating molecules gradually evolving into single-celled organisms.
  • The theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the most solidly-proven theories in the history of humankind.
  • Evidence that humans evolved from ape-like ancestors, and that we are part of the same family of species as apes, is almost as solid as that for the theory of evolution by natural selection itself.

Creationism

It is only relatively recently -- since approximately the 1800s -- that science has begun providing plausible explanations for these events. Since most currently-popular religions predate these explanations, there has been considerable resistance to them from within the religious community, especially among those that hold to a literal interpretation of scripture.

The most common religious hypothesis involves a mythological creator of the universe, most commonly known as "God", playing some role in all of these events. Despite the utter lack of any evidence or rational arguments for such a creator, much less evidence for its involvement in creating anything, many monotheists nonetheless believe these hypotheses to be true; this belief, where it flatly contradicts scientific findings, is generally referred to as creationism.

Related Articles

Reference

Faith-based

Science-based

Faith/Science compromises

Events

News

Satire

Retrieved from "https://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=Creation&oldid=28545"