Evolution and Common Sense

You have probably heard people claim, "It is simply common sense" as an explanation. This is similar to "everybody knows". If you study on it a moment, you might agree that "common sense" is actually a nonsensical phrase. Sometimes it is used when presenting scum-to-schoolchild evolution.

Credit: Unsplash / Emily Morter

Study a bit more, and you might also see that it can easily be an insult or a way to manipulate people, as it implies that if someone does not accept "common sense" evolution, that person is stupid. It is interesting that common sense supposedly evolved like everything else. Evidence? That'll be the day! Like people who decide that reality is based on materialism and rejecting our Creator, the common sense of evolution is based on unsubstantiated presuppositions. The truth is, wisdom and knowledge come from God, not the assertions of people with a materialistic worldview.

In trying to convince readers that the Darwinian worldview is true, it is commonly argued that the case for evolution is ‘common sense’, as though this expression is solid proof that ends the argument. An example is the headline of one article that exclaimed: “Evolution is plain common sense.” Another example is the article “Common Sense ‘Expelled’ in New Movie”, which concludes that it is common sense that creation and Intelligent Design are false and evolution is true. Then there exists the “Common Sense Atheism” website that uses “common sense” to prove evolution and disprove Intelligent Design.

The term common sense is often used as “proof”, especially if the idea it is used to support is commonly accepted as fact by most scientists or the general public. If one concludes that it is obvious to him or her that evolution is correct, but cannot articulate why, “it is common sense” may be used as a reason.

To read the rest of this very interesting article, click on "The ‘common sense’ argument for evolution".