Reply #426: It is a terminology issue [View All]

[ProfessorPlum]

And your terminology is messed up.

"Evolutionary theory" has a much better, more precise, and less confusing name, which is natural selection. All of what you are talking about in your last paragraph is natural selection.

We need to clarify our terminology so that we are all on the same playing field so that we can bring some sanity to this subject both amongst ourselves and when dealing with the public.

For our terms, which are also correct biologically,

"Evolution" is the observation that life changes with time

"Natural selection" is the theory about how and why those changes occur

"The origin of life on the planet" is separate from both of those issues, and is not dealt with either by evolution or natural selection.