Religious and non religious beliefs and teachings about the origin of the universe.

Transcription

1 Friday, 23 February 2018 Religious and non religious beliefs and teachings about the origin of the universe. L.O. To understand that science has alternative theories to the religious creation stories: EVOLUTION I can explain scientific beliefs about creation. I can explain WHY there are different scientific beliefs about creation. I can link religious beliefs about creation with non religious beliefs about the creation.

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3 Meet the theorists William Paley William PALEY CHRISTIAN 18 th Century Watch-Rock Designer God Charles Darwin Charles DARWIN CHRISTIAN 19 th Century Evolution by Natural Selection & Survival of the Fittest. Richard Dawkins Richard DAWKINS ATHEIST 21st Century Influenced by Darwin. Evolutionary biologist. CHALLENGES PALEY

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5 * Aka The Design Argument. William Paley

6 * William Paley Suppose I walk through the countryside and come across a rock. I could naturally and logically assume it had always been there. If, however, I had come across a pocket watch, and looked at all its workings, I could not naturally, or logically, assume that, like the rock, the watch had always existed there. I would naturally need to assume that at some time in some place it had been put together for a specific purpose by someone with great skill.

7 * How is the watch used as an analogy (a comparison) for the world? Paley argued that the world, and everything in it, is far more complex than a watch and so must have been designed by the greatest possible being, God.

8 The universe is far more complicated than a watch. If a watch has a designer then surely the universe has. God is omnipotent. He is the only thing powerful enough to make the universe. So God must exist. *

9 * 1. To design something takes intelligence and thought. 2. The universe appears to have been designed (NOT a result of RANDOM CHANCE.) 3. Therefore, a being with intelligence and thought must have designed the universe. 4. Only God could design something as complex as the universe. 5. Therefore, God must exist.

10 How do these pictures link together?

11 Richard DAWKINS ATHEIST 21st Century Influenced by Darwin. Evolutionary biologist. CHALLENGES PALEY

12 Copy this statement by Atheist Richard Dawkins Evolution is the only known theory that could solve the mystery of our existence

13 Charles Darwin In the 1830s he went on a scientific expedition to Australasia lasting 5 years! On the HMS Beagle

14 What did he see? Many species that were not found in Europe Lots of fossils Many variations of creatures on different islands

15 He concluded that Survival depends on being able to adapt Creatures that don t adapt, become extinct Only the fittest survive They pass the adaptations on to future generations

16 He concluded that Survival depends on being able to adapt Creatures that don t adapt, become extinct Only the fittest survive They pass the adaptations on to future generations

17 Every organism must struggle to survive They struggle to get resources to survive and to get away from predators Not all of them make it

18 Evolution works through a process called natural selection. This is when the species changes over a period time by adapting to their situation.

19 What did Charles Darwin actually say? The publication of Charles Darwin s book On the Origin of Species in 1859 helped launch the modern science of evolution. It also created a firestorm of controversy, by suggesting that all species including homo sapiens evolved from lower life forms. However, Darwin did not explicitly state that humans evolved from ape and monkey-like creatures in On the Origin of Species. He saved that bombshell for his next major work, The Descent of Man, which was first published in London on February 24, The final chapter of that book, Chapter 21, contains Darwin s famous statement: We thus learn that man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits, and an inhabitant of the Old World.

20 Check your understanding 1. What is a THEORY? 2. Explain what the word EVOLUTION means? 3. What is NATURAL SELECTION? 4. What did Charles Darwin say in The Descent of Man? 5. Why do you think the CHURCH was outraged by Darwin s theory of evolution?

21 1. A THEORY is a an explanation commonly regarded as correct. 2. EVOLUTION is a theory put forward by Charles Darwin to explain how life has developed over time through a process of natural selection using survival of the fittest. 3. Natural selection is the means by which a species selects the most advantageous genes to be passed on to the next generation. 4. In the Descent of Man Darwin makes the link between apes and man, We thus learn that man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped. 5. The church was outraged as Darwin's theory of evolution seemed to conflict with Genesis Chapter 1. Evolution implies CHANCE. The Bible talks about a creator God who made his creation for a purpose. If humans alone have a soul, how could this happen if we evolved from animals?

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23 Do you agree with William Paley or Richard Dawkins? You must be able to explain your answer using P.E.E.

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25 How do these pictures link together?

26 RECAP: What was the order of creation according to Genesis Chapter 1? Day 1 light/dark Day 2 Separating the waters ~Sky Day 3 Land & Vegetation Day 4 Sun, Moon and Stars Day 5 Sea creatures & Birds Day 6 Land animals & Humans (made in GOD S Image : IMAGO DEI

27 Friday, 23 February 2018 Religious and non religious beliefs and teachings about the origin of the universe. L.O. To understand that science has alternative theories to the religious creation stories: EVOLUTION I can explain scientific beliefs about creation. I can explain WHY there are different scientific beliefs about creation. I can link religious beliefs about creation with non religious beliefs about the creation.