“Darwin, Evolution, and Humanism” (zoom)

Charles Darwin’s religious views have been vigorously debated. The son and grandson of well-known 19th century freethinkers, he nonetheless had a conventional religious upbringing, and scholars agree that for at least the early part of his life, he was conventionally religious. His views changed later in life, drifting more towards his father’s and grandfather’s rejection of Christianity. One explanation for this change is the development of his idea of evolution by natural selection, though there is not yet a scholarly consensus on this. Today, science, and perhaps especially evolution, is seen as central to modern Humanism, and it is variously embraced and vigorously rejected by people of other religious perspectives. But how well does evolution work as religion? Is, as E.O. Wilson once said, “The evolutionary epic is probably the best myth we will ever have”?

Dr. Eugenie C. Scott is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, Inc., a not-for-profit membership organization of scientists, teachers, and others that works to improve the teaching of science as a way of knowing, the teaching of evolution, and the teaching of climate change. She is considered an expert on the creationism and evolution controversy and science denialism. Scott is the author of Evolution vs Creationism: An Introduction, co-editor (with Glenn Branch) of Not In Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong For Our Schools, and the author of many articles in both science journals and popular outlets. Because of her work at NCSE, she has been honored by scientists, educators, skeptics, and humanists. She received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the American Humanist Association and the Center for Inquiry, as well as the Skeptic Society’s James Randi Award, and the Richard Dawkins Award from the Atheist Alliance International.

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