Darwiniana

  1. Lemma
  2. Darvinijana
  3. Serbian
  4. Guidebook through Evolutionary Biology (en)
  5. Stevanovic, Aleksandra
  6. Scientific theories and disciplines > Biology:evolution
  7. 1-9-2017
  8. Stojković, Biljana [Author]. Darwiniana: Guidebook through Evolutionary Biology
  9. Darwiniana : Guidebook through Evolutionary Biology
    1. Darwin, Charles (1858)
  10. Darwinism - Evolution
    1. Darwiniana: Guidebook through Evolutionary Biology is a book about evolution on the planet Earth and Charles Darwin. Written in the form of concise guidebook through evolutionary biology, it is aimed primarily to the teachers of Biology at schools. However, its broad scope makes it suitable for anyone who seeks scientific knowledge and for those who realize the latent dissent between science and religion, rational and mystical worldview.

      The book provides insight into evolution of life and scientific knowledge methods. It also states that deprecation of the Theory of Evolution stems from ideological predjudice and lack of knowledge on scientific methodology, while data from contemporary evolutionary biology confirm the concept of evolutionary changes of the living world.

      The first part of the book Thus spoke Darwin is dedicated to the demystification of the theory of the mentioned scientist. It shows how scientific theories rely on previous knowledge and how they impact further development of science. In order to be understood, scientific thoughts need to be perceived from the perspective of the time they appeared and the dominant standpoint of the time has to be taken into account.

      The second part Frequent Questions on Darwin and the Theory of Evolution includes the questions that students often ask Biology teachers, or the ones that are raised in discussions on the scientific base and social implications of the Theory.

      The chapter What would Darwin say today? explores biological issues. It shows how Darwin, even though he could not confirm it through the scientific apparatus of Victorian England, had anticipated the answers on many questions. In addition, scientific theory that has survived the scientific critical court throughout time certainly is a scientifically verified theory. In the recent times, evidently, people lacking the knowledge in biological evolution state standpoints on the Theory of Evolution and its relation to moral, religion and other questions that are of the interest to the contemporary man.

      The chapter Evolution, Religion and Morals indicates that “struggle for survival” that is most often used in condemning the Theory of Evolution has no relation to or reinforcement in contemporary science. The dissent has appeared because the Theory implies the attack on religious beliefs. The Theory of Evolution disregards beliefs in the supernatural. The scope of science is the world, that is, its phenomena, and the hypotheses are scientifically and methodologically tested. In that sense, no belief can be the object of research of the natural sciences, according to the authors.