"evolutionism"

Mars80 · Postby **Mars80** » 2013-09-03, 10:30

Do people who believe in evolution ever refer to themselves as "evolutionists", or it that just a term that those who don't believe in evolution use?

linguoboy · Postby **linguoboy** » 2013-09-03, 14:31

Mars80 wrote:Do people who believe in evolution ever refer to themselves as "evolutionists", or it that just a term that those who don't believe in evolution use?

Professor Dan Graur seems to believe it's the latter: Nowadays, when you see the term “evolutionist” or “evolutionism,” you may safely skip the text, as it is almost certainly the rambling of a demented creationist or an IDiot [sic]. However, in the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, the term denoted an adherent of evolutionary theory.

It's not a term I really see much of a need for. After all, I don't call myself a "gravitationist" to indicate that I accept the theory of gravity.

Ludwig Whitby · Postby **Ludwig Whitby** » 2013-09-03, 15:06

linguoboy wrote:
Mars80 wrote:Do people who believe in evolution ever refer to themselves as "evolutionists", or it that just a term that those who don't believe in evolution use?

Professor Dan Graur seems to believe it's the latter: Nowadays, when you see the term “evolutionist” or “evolutionism,” you may safely skip the text, as it is almost certainly the rambling of a demented creationist or an IDiot [sic]. However, in the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, the term denoted an adherent of evolutionary theory.

It's not a term I really see much of a need for. After all, I don't call myself a "gravitationist" to indicate that I accept the theory of gravity.

That is because there are almost no people who don't accept the theory of gravity. In the 19th and 20th century evolution was under a lot of discussion and the subject of many debates both in the US and in Europe and there was a need to differentiate between the adherents and the opponents of evolutionary theory. In Europe that debate is over and one could say that there is no need for the term "evolutionist". In USA, the debate is far from over and that term is surely still needed.

linguoboy · Postby **linguoboy** » 2013-09-03, 15:17

Ludwig Whitby wrote:In Europe that debate is over and one could say that there is no need for the term "evolutionist". In USA, the debate is far from over and that term is surely still needed.

In the USA, the debate is over in scientific circles. It's only in politics that the need to differentiate arises, and I don't see why there needs to be a special term for the accepted scientific viewpoint. It's enough that, as with "flat-Earthers" or "climate change denialists", we have a term for the dissenters.

ling · Postby **ling** » 2013-09-03, 15:29

Mars80 wrote:Do people who believe in evolution ever refer to themselves as "evolutionists", or it that just a term that those who don't believe in evolution use?

It's one of those terms that creationists use to describe people who accept the fact of evolution or who study evolution professionally. It's not one that actual scientists tend to use. But the term has been put out there and is repeated so often that sometimes biologists catch themselves using it to describe themselves.

md0 · Postby **md0** » 2013-09-03, 16:16

In Europe that debate is over

(unless we agree I live in Western Asia).

mōdgethanc · Postby **mōdgethanc** » 2013-09-03, 17:10

"Evolutionist'" makes it sound like evolution is an ideology, not a scientific theory. As we know, it's ID that is ideologically motivated, so "IDers" makes more sense to me semantically.