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Revision as of 19:41, 20 August 2012
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
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
- concepts:
- organizations:
Science-based
- concepts:
- origins of Earth
- Wikipedia: History of Earth
- origins of life
- origins of Earth
Faith/Science compromises
- Wikipedia: Theistic evolution Gap Creationism
Events
- 2005-12-20 Dover decision is good for long-term economic and scientific strength: statement from the AAAS
- 2005-07-18 Utah bill withdrawn: "...assured him that Utah public school curriculum does not teach that man descended from apes."