antievolution

Antievolution is a broad term encompassing a range of beliefs and arguments that reject or express skepticism about the scientific theory of evolution. These views often stem from religious or philosophical objections rather than scientific evidence. While the scientific consensus overwhelmingly supports evolution as the mechanism for life's diversity, antievolutionary viewpoints persist in various forms.

One common antievolutionary stance is creationism, which posits that life was directly created by a supernatural being, often in a form similar to what is described in religious texts. This can range from young Earth creationism, which interprets religious texts literally and believes the Earth is only a few thousand years old, to old Earth creationism, which accepts the scientific age of the Earth but still maintains a divine creator. Intelligent design is another related viewpoint, arguing that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, rather than an undirected process such as natural selection. Proponents of intelligent design often point to irreducible complexity, the idea that some biological systems are too complex to have evolved gradually.

Antievolutionary arguments often focus on perceived gaps in the fossil record, the complexity of biological organisms, or statistical improbabilities of life arising spontaneously. These arguments have been extensively addressed and refuted by the scientific community through research in genetics, paleontology, comparative anatomy, and other fields. Despite this, antievolutionary movements continue to advocate for their views, particularly in educational contexts, leading to ongoing debates about the teaching of evolution in schools.