At the sight of a single bone, of a single piece of bone, I recognize and reconstruct the portion of the whole from which it would have been taken. The whole being to which this fragment belonged appears in my mind's eye.
Georges CuvierRead
In evolution, as in all areas of science, our knowledge is incomplete. But the entire success of the scientific enterprise has depended on an insistence that these gaps be filled by natural explanations, logically derived from confirmable evidence. Because "intelligent design" theories are based on supernatural explanations, they can have nothing to do with science.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Scientific knowledge is always a work in progress, requiring evidence-based explanations rather than supernatural beliefs.
In this quote, Bruce Alberts emphasizes that science relies on empirical evidence and logical reasoning to fill gaps in knowledge regarding evolution. He argues that the scientific enterprise fosters progress by adhering to a methodology grounded in natural explanations, and critiques 'intelligent design' theories for relying on supernatural explanations that do not align with scientific inquiry.
Themes
EvolutionScienceEvidenceKnowledgeNatural Explanations
In practice
Example use cases
During a science symposium, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of evidence in scientific discussions.
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