Editing Evolutionism (section)

{{Short description|Derogatory term for the theory of evolution}}
{{About|the term|the field/s of study|Evolutionary biology#Subfields}}
[[File:Charles_Darwin_1880.jpg | thumb | right | alt=Monochrome photo of Charles Darwin, he appears to be an older middle aged man with a neutral expression, light skin, wrinkles under his deep set but fairly wide open eyes, and a chest length white beard extending up to his temples. He is wearing a hat with a rounded top, a medium width brim and a cloth band, his shoulders which are the only part of his body beyond head in frame seem are covered by a dark, apparently black, top of unclear cut. The background behind him is non-descript, possibly a plaster wall | Charles Darwin, whose On the Origin of Species introduced the theory of evolution to society at large, photographed in 1881]]
'''Evolutionism''' is a term used (often derogatorily) to denote the [[theory of evolution]]. Its exact meaning has changed over time as the study of evolution has progressed. In the 19th century, it was used to describe the belief that organisms deliberately improved themselves through progressive inherited change ([[orthogenesis]]).<ref name="isbn0-550-11000-3" /><ref>{{cite book | last=Carneiro | first=Robert, L. | title=Evolutionism in cultural anthropology : a critical history | publisher=Westview Press | location=Cambridge, MA | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-8133-3766-1 | pages=2–3}}</ref> The [[teleological]] belief went on to include [[cultural evolution]] and [[Sociocultural evolution|social evolution]].<ref name="isbn0-550-11000-3">{{cite book |author1=Allen, R. T. |author2=Allen, Robert W. |title=Chambers encyclopedic English dictionary |publisher=Chambers |location=Edinburgh |year=1994 |page=438 |isbn=978-0-550-11000-8 |quote=a widely held 19c belief that organisms were intrinsically bound to improve themselves, that changes were progressive, and that acquired characters could be transmitted genetically. The belief was also extended to cultures and societies, and to living organisms. }}</ref> In the 1970s, the term "Neo-Evolutionism" was used to describe the idea that "human beings sought to preserve a familiar style of life unless change was forced on them by factors that were beyond their control."<ref>[[Bruce Trigger|Trigger, Bruce]]  (1986) ''A History of Archeological Thought'' Cambridge University Press pg 290</ref>

The term is most often used by [[creationist]]s to describe adherence to the scientific consensus on evolution as equivalent to a [[secular religion]].<ref name="Ruse">{{cite journal|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/299/5612/1523|title=Perceptions in science: Is Evolution a Secular Religion? -- Ruse|author=Ruse, Michael|author-link=Michael Ruse|date=March 2003|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]]|volume=299 |issue=5612 |pages=299 (5612): 1523|doi=10.1126/science.1082968 |pmid=12624249 |access-date=2008-12-05|quote=A major complaint of the Creationists, those who are committed to a Genesis-based story of origins, is that evolution--and Darwinism in particular--is more than just a scientific theory. They object that too often evolution operates as a kind of secular religion, pushing norms and proposals for proper (or, in their opinion, improper) action.|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The term is very seldom used within the scientific community, since the scientific position on evolution is accepted by the overwhelming majority of scientists.<ref>"Nearly all scientists (97%) say humans and other living things have evolved over time", [http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/528.pdf Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091108193045/http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/528.pdf |date=2009-11-08 }}, [[Pew Research Center]], 9 July 2009</ref> Because evolutionary biology is the default scientific position, it is assumed that "scientists" or "biologists" are "evolutionists" unless specifically noted otherwise.<ref name="Dichotomy">{{cite web |url=http://ncse.com/cej/4/2/supposed-dichotomy-between-creationism-evolution |title=The Supposed Dichotomy between Creationism and Evolution |author= Gough, J. B. |work=NCSE |year=1983 |publisher=[[National Center for Science Education]] |access-date=2009-09-24}} "...to say a person is a scientist encompasses the fact that he or she is an evolutionist."</ref> In the [[creation–evolution controversy]], creationists often call those who accept the validity of the modern evolutionary synthesis "evolutionists" and the theory itself "evolutionism".