Using “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea,” the current paper argues that Darwinism and traditional monotheistic Creationism cannot be held together without contradictions. Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests that the modern variety of species is the result of natural selection. The latter means that randomly appearing features assist living creatures in surviving and reproducing and end up being carried into the new generation. As suggested by the film, the perfect fit of particular beaks to their functions is the result of random changes in the genes of birds, which have been preserved through natural selection as an advantage. From the creationist perspective, the same evidence can be used to prove the words of the Bible. In effect, these words do not require proof in the view of a believer. Still, the fact that bird beaks are so well-fit for their survival can be used to show that they were designed intelligently and with a purpose by our God.
It seems apparent that the two philosophies oppose each other in their description of the reasons for the variety of existing species (random changes or intelligent design), which means that they cannot be held together without contradictions. The film has a more nuanced perspective on the relationships between the philosophies, and it suggests that they can be compatible if they are modified. Daniel Dennett offers to reinterpret Darwin’s ideas to incorporate the design of the Creator, and Kenneth Miller, while insisting that his view is conventional, discusses the modification of the image of God into a Creator who has developed the natural selection mechanism. However, there is a direct contradiction in this position, which shows that Darwinist and Creationist views need to be reinterpreted to fit each other. Therefore, this idea can be used to prove the point that in their traditional form, the two philosophies oppose each other.
Work Cited
“Darwin’s Dangerous Idea.” Evolution, written by Allan Cubitt, Adrian Desmond, David Espar, Susan K. Lewis, and James Moore, directed by David Espar, Susan K. Lewis, and Alastair Reid, Public Broadcasting Service, 2001.