The “Theory of Evolution” (ToE) is a biology theory. It is not a philosophical one. And yet many people wrongly treat it (and most of all use it) as such…

Regarding the theory as a biology theory, there are many criticisms regarding its inherent limitations (call me “lack of predictiveness” and lack of “falsifibility”), its dogmas (call me “Problem of Species definition”), its prejudices (we call ourselves more evolved than bacteria, but the latter are the ones most adapted to survive), its blindness regarding common sense and its lack of adaptation (evolution?) when it comes to unsolved problems like true human altruism (not the “I am a pigeon and I save my child pigeon for my genes to survive” kind of “altruism”) or the definition of life itself in the first place. See Evolution and Intelligent Design – The way to an agreement for more on those arguments.

However the Theory of Evolution is widely (wrongly) used as a philosophy theory to promote atheism. Not a too clever thing to do, especially when you see that the main arguments against the Theory of Evolution come from philosophy itself… Darwin’s theory (actually it is Wallace who first formulated the theory of evolution – see Russel Wallace and Evolution Theory – and he actually had many concerns about its limitations that todays biologists do not recognize) is relying on too many philosophical dogmas that even listing them takes too long of time and effort.

Relying on dogmas (call me “axiom”) is not bad by itself. We all do it.

Relying on dogmas and forgetting that we do so, is however bad.

Theory of “the fittest survives, based on random mutations selected by natural selection” is based on dogmas, the most important of which are:

• Materialism: We are all matter and matter is all that matters! There is no room for spirituality in a world of matter. But lovers of ToE must remember: Materialism is a philosophical DOGMA! It is not something “proven”…
• Mechanistic View: We are nothing more that automata. Genes dictate our every move, thought and emotion. We are machines. But lovers of ToE must remember: The opinion that we are machines is a DOGMA (not even a purely philosophical one)! It is not something “proven”…
• Scientism: Science can explain everything! This is one of the most dangerous dogmas here (see The limits of science for more). Even though ToE cannot make even one prediction (as scientific theories should), it is completely built on the dogma that it can explain everything, with the laughable attempts to explain true altruism being one of the best examples of that…
• Organisms evolve: If bacteria are inherently better survivors than humans in ANY possible environment, how come we believe that we are “more evolved” ? Being selfish is never the way to go…
• Nihilism: Everything is random. There is no purpose in anything in life. Even though proponents of ToE will try to convince you that the meaning of ToE is not randomness, one cannot really see any point in fooling ourselves that a process which is based on random mutations and on natural selection (which again is conducted not by an intelligent being) is not “random” in its core. Atheists please do remember: Nihilism is another dogma and too un-human too.

Faith is an integral part of every theory – scientific or not (theology is not excluded here – read Religion and Science unification for more). Darwin is no exception to that rule… Never forget the foundations of your beliefs. Because if you do, the whole world can collapse upon you with the slightest drift…