"I
have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is
preserved, by the term Natural Selection."
Charles Robert Darwin, 1809 -- 1882
"On The Origin of Species"
Darwin's
198th Birthday will occur on Monday, February 12, 2007; it will also be the
148th Anniversary of the publication of his famous book, On The Origin of
Species. The objective of Darwin Day Celebration is to encourage existing
institutions worldwide, such as municipalities, public and private schools,
colleges and universities, libraries, museums, churches, private organizations
and individuals to celebrate Science and Humanity every year, on, or near,
February 12, Darwin's birthday!
"Darwin
Day" began its life in 1995, the brainchild of Robert Stephens and fellow
humanist, Arthur Jackson who have watched their celebration evolve into
"an International Celebration of Science and Humanity as well as a
year-round educational website. "The short term goal of the organizers is
to increase awareness of Darwin Day and "build excitement" between
now and 2009, the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, which program officials
hope will be marked by global celebrations of Darwin's legacy, while
"promoting understanding of science and critical inquiry within our global
community."
Often,
the mention of Darwin elicits discussions of science and religion. Recently,
theologians and scientists have come together to discuss this tension in
American society, and how we might all work together to develop better
understanding of how science and religion can complement each other. The
American Association for the Advancement of Science's DoSER (Dialog on Science,
Ethics and Religion) conducted a series of workshops with leading theologians
and scientists regarding evolution and the social controversies surrounding
teaching and learning about evolution in American schools, colleges and
universities. Recently, AAAS published "The
Evolution Dialogues: Science, Christianity, and the Quest for Understanding"
as a product of the DoSER workshops. "The Evolution Dialogs" is intended to
spark conversations about evolution in homes, churches, schools and
communities. In alternate chapters, it presents a description of the
development of evolutionary theory from before Darwin to the present and the
rich and complex historical interaction of evolution and Christianity. It
further presents accounts of the nature of science and of Christian approaches
to understanding and the history of life as revealed through the evolutionary
sciences. "The Evolution Dialogs" is accessible to the public--it is not a dense
scholarly treatise. Rather, it is a resource for thoughtful discussions.
In
a similar vein, theologians have initiated similar discussions through a
movement called "The
Clergy Letter Project." Michael Zimmerman at Butler College leads The
Clergy Letter Project. He states, "For too long, the misperception that science
and religion are inevitably in conflict has created unnecessary division and
confusion, especially concerning the teaching of evolution. I wanted to let the
public know that numerous clergy from most denominations have tremendous
respect for evolutionary theory and have embraced it as a core component of
human knowledge, fully harmonious with religious faith." Since 2004, more than
10,000 theologians have signed the letter. This Sunday, February 11, more than
500 churches will celebrate "Evolution Sunday" in honor of Charles Darwin and the
understanding of the natural world that science provides.
Many
others will also celebrate Darwin and his discoveries. You can find a listing
of Darwin Day
celebrations on line at the Darwin Day website. There may be an event in
your community.
Why
is SETI Institute concerned with Darwin and evolution? Understanding the
evolution of the universe--galaxies, stars, planets, and life--is at the heart of
our research. In Darwin's autobiography he states, "Everything in nature
is the result of fixed laws." Discovering these "fixed laws"
that govern the origin, nature and distribution of life is the core mission of
the SETI Institute, and exploring change over time is the powerful theme that
unifies all of our work, from laboratory to classroom. The work of our
scientists working on the NASA Astrobiology Institute research team focuses on
the co-evolution of life and its planetary context, in projects that range from
studies of life's emergence on early Earth to the habitability of planets
orbiting relatively cool M-stars. This project will directly impact the
Institute's search for evidence of life that, like us, is sufficiently complex
to reflect upon its own origins. The evolution of complexity and intelligence
is a challenging research area, but one that can be probed scientifically, and
Institute research seeks to tease important insights out of both the fossil
record and animal communication systems. Darwin would no doubt be fascinated!
We
live in a very special time. We are the first generation with the scientific
tools necessary to explore a world that has grown beyond the confines of Earths
atmosphere. We seek evidence of life's origin at ocean bottom hot spots, in the
rocks and soils of Mars, and in the interstellar chemistry of our galaxy. We
also seek evidence of intelligence by searching for signals from technology
that transmits from distant planets.
What
might be found can best be understood from a basis of self-knowledge. Where did
we come from? Where are we going? What else is out there, and how did it
evolve? What will we become? Big questions to ponder on the birthday of a man
who helped us shape them
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