Re: [asa] An evolution quiz question about "Scientific creationism "

As used in antievolutionary writing (young earth or ID varieties),
"microevolution" is "evolution I accept" and "macroevolution" is
"evolution I reject." This conveniently conceals the vast disparity
between evolution accepted by, e.g., Wells (about none) versus AIG and
ICR (within a "kind", suggested to be about a family in conventional
classification) versus Behe (full common descent). It also allows any
particular example of evolution to be dismissed as mere
microevolution.

In biological usage, macroevolution tends to refer to the idea that
different processes are involved at the species-level and higher than
the ordinary, everyday population-level evolution. Thus, someone who
thinks that standard population-level evolution over 3.5-4 billion
years is enough to account for all organisms might say they reject
macroevolution, whereas someone like Gould would argue that there are
some different things that play a role at higher levels. However,
both would reject the micro/macro difference as it appears in
antievolutionary claims.

Although the most prominent young earth groups seem to accept
evolution of species and genera, this is rejected by a number of ID
advocates who persist in claiming that no species can arise from
another species.

Even examples of change within a species, such as the peppered moth,
are frequently attacked by antievolutionary advocates, so the claim to
accept "microevolution" is not entirely credible.

-- 
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama
"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"
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