This year marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth as well as the 150th anniversary of the publication of his ground-breaking work, "On the Origin of Species." Sims Memorial Library at Southeastern Louisiana University commemorated Darwin Day 2009 by inviting internationally known evolution proponent Dr. Barbara Forrest to speak on the scientist's legacy Thursday, April 23.
"This is a once in a lifetime anniversary," Forrest told the crowd of about 100. "Darwin's unique contribution to science was to figure out how evolution worked."
Beginning with a video of science teachers, students and renowned scientists from around the country wishing Charles Darwin a happy birthday, Forrest briefly overviewed Darwin's life, highlighting his upbringing and his family life.
"Darwin was the consummate family man. He absolutely adored his children and his wife," she said.
Though the purpose of the talk was to honor Darwin, the majority of Forrest's lecture was spent discussing the importance of understanding Darwin's theory of evolution. She combated the argument that evolution is "just a theory," stating that a theory is a hypothesis that has been tested numerous times by numerous people and proven true each time. She cited other notable scientific theories such as the Cell Theory, Plate Tectonic Theory and the Theory of Gravity.
"A theory is a comprehensive explanation, not just a flimsy unsubstantiated idea," she said. "It's a very strong term."
She explained that Darwin's theory of evolution contained two main features: natural selection and common ancestry. She described natural selection as the process by which certain traits are handed down through generations and how certain variations occur in each generation allowing for a modified organism. Darwin fixed on this idea when he observed genetic variations between sets of finches found on the Galapagos Islands.
"These variations are unpredictable," Forrest said. "If you add up the changes over millions of years, you could see how the change might be quite pronounced. The environment changes whole populations."
Common ancestry is the idea that all creatures are connected to one common ancestor, and that each of the different species evolved through natural selection.
"Just like you and I are linked by common ancestors, all living things are linked by common ancestors," Forrest said.
Though many in attendance applauded Forrest's comments, other audience members did not agree with her views and tempers flared on several occasions.
An audience member stormed out of the meeting after engaging in a verbal altercation with Forrest during the question and answer session. The woman declared that Forrest was mistaken or lying about the reliability of the peppered moth test used to support evolutionary theory, stating the tests were faked by taping the moths to trees.
Forrest countered her claims with the question, "Where did you earn your biology degree?"
"Where did you earn yours?" the woman returned, referring to the fact that Forrest does not hold a degree in biology, but rather in philosophy.
"These are the lies they're using our tax dollars for," the woman declared as she left. "You should be fired."
Southeastern student Charlene Floyd said she learned lots of things she had hoped to learn during the lecture. "I thought the lecture was informative and wonderful," she said.
Community member and alumni Drew Stevens said he was for the most part in disagreement with Forrest's message. "As Christians, we don't believe you have to hang your intelligence on the door when you come to school," he said.
Pilot David Grantham questioned Forrest whether or not she was an atheist, to which she replied, "That's none of your business."
However, Grantham contended that she is an atheist. "Her arguments were consistent with what I've heard from many other atheists and evolutionists," he said.
A philosophy professor at Southeastern, Forrest is best known for her studies on the issues of evolution, creationism and intelligent design. She was tapped as a witness in the case Kitzmiller et al v. Dover (PA) Area School District, in which plaintiffs sued the Dover School District over the teaching of creationism.