Conservatives oppose the teaching of evolution but favor "survival of the fittest" policies. Why?

Answer 1

I could ask Liberals the converse, btw. Why do Liberals push evolution and then tinker with survival of the fittest?

But I'll go first, since you asked. American "rugged individualism" and "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps," pre-dates Darwin's survival of the fittest. And it might be where he got it.

Answer 2

Only the fundamentalist Christians oppose evolution. One of the most "conservative" churches, the Roman Catholic Church, has supported evolution for decades.

As for the argument about survival of the fittest meaning only one species of bird or fish, what survives where depends on the conditions. Survival of the fittest occurs within a species, such that those who are best able to adapt to their environs will be the ones who live long enough to reproduce. Those who can't adapt to their environment die off.

Answer 3

Survival of the fittest is the natural order and that's why teach evolution. Evolution comes about by survival of the fittest and that's why Islam is going down.

Answer 4

I could turn your question around 180 degrees and ask "If liberals oppose the concept of 'survival of the fittest' why do they favor the teaching of evolution?

My personal beliefs are probably more along the lines of creative design. I believe the process of evolution occurred but it was initiated by a higher being. I don't think that a belief in God and a belief in evolution have to be mutually exclusive,

Answer 5

Rather than saying conservatives use the word Christians. For you see, Christians are taught that man was created by God. There is no evolution if I am created by God. Therefore, the term used is Creation.
Creation is a doctrinal position in many religions and philosophical belief systems which maintains that a single God, or a group of gods or deities is responsible for creating the universe. The theological implications of creation may take a variety of forms, the most innocuous being that of a religious dogma. There are religious believers who extend this to a strident advocacy of creationism, but the doctrinal belief is not necessarily synonymous with such advocacy.

In my humble view survival is survival - fit or not. No longer are we running from predators on a field now we run from ideas and each other.

If people want to believe they came from primordial muck well, maybe they did but I aspire to something greater. Personally, I am still awaiting facts, that is why it is called the theory of evolution and if you want to teach it simply teach it as a theory not fact.

Hope this helps

Answer 6

Cons dont care about this evolution thing. Its a necon agenda item. Important distinction there. I am interested in the survival of the fittest policies you are referring to? could you explain that please.

Answer 7

I don't think *conservatives* oppose the teaching of evolutionary fact. I think it's just the fundies doing that. The fact that most fundies are conservatives isn't meaningful.

But no matter, the fundies are failing so miserably in their fight against scientific truth it really isn't funny any more.

Answer 8

Where did you hear this survival of the fittest stuff? I've never heard a conservative say that. It sounds like something you came with on your own.

Answer 9

Which Conservatives are you talking about? Or did you misspell Christians? Most Christians are not politcally Conservative. Just because they support the Republican party does not make them Conservative just as being a Democrat doesn't make one necessarily Liberal.

Your generalizations hurt your cause.

Answer 10

Evolution, is just a Fantasy, always has been, I didn,t crawl out of the Sea, I came from the Stars. And I don,t care for there survival of the fittest Bologna !