subscribe to our mailing list:
|
SECTIONS
|
 |
|
|
Letters
[Write a Reply]
[Letters Index]
| Title |
Author |
Date |
| are we descended from 'apes'? |
TalkReason , |
Aug 03, 2008
|
Of course the correct answer to question 8 in Nussbaum's questionnaire is "Not true." Evolutionary biology does not suggest that human descended from apes, but that both humans and apes have a common ancestor. Mr. Nussbaum has nowhere asserted otherwise, so he obviously understands that point correctly, although the way he formulated his question could confuse some readers as to his position. Thanks for your comments, which may help to clarify this point for those readers who are confused by question 8 in Nussbaum's questionnaire.
Talk Reason administration
|
| Related Articles: |
Science education and attitudes toward evolution and related issues: A survey of university students
|
| Title |
Author |
Date |
| are we descended from 'apes'? |
Norowitz, Avi |
Aug 12, 2008
|
TalkReason,
I believe you are incorrect that Alexander Nussbaum intended the correct answer to be "Not true." This is evident from Nussbaum's discussion of the results, in which he wrote: "That 33.3 % of the participants answered 'false' can be seen as troubling ... Especially since, as we all know, evolution is a fact as certain as anything in science, as certain as anything humans can possibly know."
I do agree that "the way he formulated his question could confuse some readers as to his position," however.
|
| Related Articles: |
Science education and attitudes toward evolution and related issues: A survey of university students
|
| Title |
Author |
Date |
| are we descended from 'apes'? |
Nussbaum, Alexander |
Aug 12, 2008
|
Obviously humans didn't evolve from modern apes- the same as one's cousin is not one's ancestor- but the last common ancestor of humans and chimps was an ape. Humans technically are apes. Humans and chimps are more closely related to each other than chimps are to other apes. A taxonomy that groups chimps, gorillas and orangutans together and excludes humans is counter to what the evidence shows, and based on residual ideas of a special creation of humans.
Interestingly, according to 2006 study by David Reich of the Broad institute of MIT and Harvard, after an initial split between human and chimp ancestors, a hybridization occurred before final split about 6.3 to 5.4 million years age.
As stated in article the wording of the questions was geared to Orthodox Jewish participants- the wording was based on my knowledge of the community and feedback from rabbis. Of course the statement "humans and apes had a common ancestor" is true- but I did not use a wording like that because of the Orthodox Jewish belief that part of the generation that built tower of Babel was turned into monkeys and apes, as stated in the Talmud (the "oral" Torah). Orthodox Jewish scientists have interpreted the genetic similarity of humans and apes as proof of the correctness of the sages on that matter.
The statement "humans evolved" is true too, but not useable for survey on Orthodox Jews because of their belief that after the expulsion from Eden and after the flood, humans "devolved", becoming more animalistic.
|
|
|
