Evolution conversation questions

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This is a potentially controversial subject in some societies, and consequently some teachers may want to carefully consider if they wish to use all of these questions.

Evolution

• Do you think that evolution is "just" a theory?
• What does the word "theory" mean to a scientist? In other words, what do scientists mean when they refer to the "theory of relativity" the "theory of evolution"?
• What does the word "hypothesis" mean to a scientist?
• What do you understand by the term ‘natural selection’?
• What do you think of the term ‘survival of the fittest’? Is it the best description of evolution?
• If an animal survives, but doesn't reproduce, is it helping the evolution of the species?
• Does evolution always produce animals which are "better"? What about cave-living fish which lose their eyes? Or island-living birds which lose the ability to fly?
• Why do you think that some species survive and evolve while others go extinct?

Human evolution

• Did we evolve from monkeys, did monkeys evolve from humans or did we both evolve from something else?

• What human traits are you familiar with that are a direct result of evolution from our common ancestor?

• Why have humans evolved into different looks and colours?
• In what ways are Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals similar?
• Should we attempt to clone Neanderthals from their DNA samples?
• If Neanderthals had survived to this day how do you think our species - Homo Sapiens - would treat them?
• Are humans in any way “special”? How exactly?
• Are human beings the pinnacle of evolution? In other words, are we the "best evolved" species - the "objective" of the evolutionary process?
• Are there other animals better adapted to their environment than we are?
• If intelligence is so useful why are we the only species to have evolved it?
• Are we still evolving or does science and technology do it for us?

Evolution and religion

• Many schools in the USA teach creationism – the idea that God put humans on Earth in their present form some 7,000 years ago - as an alternative to evolution. What do you think of this?
• Why do you think that creationism is more popular in the US compared to most of the rest of the western world?
• What do you think of the idea of "Young Earth Creationism," the idea that the Earth is only, roughly, 6000 years old? Is this belief scientifically plausible at all?
• Are evolution and religion naturally incompatible?
• Supporters of the idea of "Intelligent Design" maintain that if something looks designed then it was designed. What do you think of this argument?
• Do you think that intelligent design or creationism are legitimate scientific alternatives to evolution? Why or why not?

See also

• Animal rights conversation questions
• Intelligence conversation questions
• Religion conversation questions