BIOLOGY Volume 3 - A Guide to General Biology - 2004

26. EVOLUTION, OR THE HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH

26.3. General conclusions regarding the "theories" of the origin of life

Many of these "theories" and the explanations they offer for the existing diversity of species draw upon the same data, yet emphasize different aspects of it. Scientific theories can range from the highly imaginative, on the one hand, to the ultra-skeptical, on the other. Theological considerations may also find a place within this framework, depending on the religious views of their authors. One of the main points of contention, even in pre-Darwinian times, was the relationship between scientific and theological Perspectives on The history of life.

Schemes A through D in Fig. 26.2 simply depict theories, hypotheses, or beliefs regarding THE ORIGIN OF life, whereas schemes E and F represent an attempt to synthesize certain aspects of theories B, C, and D into a cohesive model acceptable to many people. In practice, science and religion are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as evidenced by the number of scientists who hold religious convictions.

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Fig. 26.2. Diagram illustrating various Theories of the origin of life and speciation.



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