Attributing Providence to Evolution

Check out the NPR story Our Feet Are Fallible, But They Beat A Chimp's for another example of people casually attributing Providence to evolution (that is, seeing evolution as a source of goodness) and attributing intelligent design to evolution.

The story says, "evolution gave us the one-of-a-kind human foot we have" and "human feet remain one of evolution's finest designs."

I'm not opposed to attributing providence to Evolution, but it's good to be aware that this is a expression of religious belief, even if casually expressed, just as it is to say, casually, "Thank God I have good feet." Being aware of ourselves using such casual religious expressions will make us less surprised when people accuse us of promoting "secular humanism" as a religious view appropriate for schools and trying to force out the traditional religions which overtly attribute Providence to God.

Here's the whole text of the NPR blurb.

If you've ever had reason to curse your feet — say, after a day at the mall, an evening in high heels or a lengthy jog — you might keep in mind that they are a whole lot better at doing what we need them to do than a chimp's feet.

Our ancestors had something like a chimp's foot. It was flat and flexible, made for grasping tree limbs. But it didn't take them very far.

How evolution gave us the one-of-a-kind human foot we have — taut and more efficient for walking than any other primate's foot — is the subject of the next story in our “Human Edge” series on human evolution.

You'll find out that the tendons in your foot give you an arch that acts like a spring, returning energy to your body with every step you take. You'll learn to appreciate that big toe, warts and all, because it means you can run.

True, evolution hasn't taken us beyond athlete's foot or hangnails or bunions.

But human feet remain one of evolution's finest designs. Without them, we'd just be bootless.

For another example, see Evolution Again Credited with Creation.