The Scopes Trial

Evolution is a polarizing subject that some people may choose to regard it as fact while others may choose to regard it as a mere theory. Most people, including scientists believe that evolution is a fact because the evidence supporting it is very strong. However, others are reluctant to believe that evolution has happened because it may contradicts their holy beliefs and because no one has seen it happen. Evolution is a theory or a fact only to the extent that people are willing to accept it a theory or a fact. The Scopes Trial in 1925 sheds some light on the attitudes that people once had towards evolution. Many decades ago, evolution was a very sensitive subject that was not allowed in the classrooms. The high school biology teacher John Scopes was “charged with illegally teaching the theory of evolution” (The monkey trial 1) and Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 , but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. The bizarre trial drew a lot of attention on the subject of evolution and it represented a “significant setback for the anti-evolution forces” (6). In fact, “Of the fifteen states with anti- …show more content…
Michael Crichton talks about a major historical scientific theory that was not based on scientific method. He goes on to explain that the theory of eugenics was pseudoscience and “ the actions taken in the name of theory were morally and criminally wrong. Ultimately, they led to the deaths of millions of people” (Crichton 1). Strikingly, even though the theory was nonsense the public continued to research and promote it for almost half a century because it was being backed and supported by the majority of politicians. This example of pseudoscience that Crichton uses, gives an insight on how politics can have a dangerous influence on science because it manipulates the work of science and promotes biased and false