This is something that I sent to TalkOrigins a little over a year ago. It is trivial. However, I thought that I would submit it here for the benefit of readers who are not familiar with TO.

In 1983 I purchased a used copy of The Science of Life by H. G. Wells, Julian Huxley and G. P. Wells. The copyright dates are 1929, 1930, 1931, and 1934. On page 314 begins Book Three ("The Incontrovertible Fact of Evolution"). The first chapter of Book Three is "The Fact to be Proved." In the first subdivision of this chapter, "Evolution and Creation," the distinction between the fact of evolution and the theory of evolution is explained. I would like to quote the final paragraph of this subdivision, on page 316:

"We make this distinction between fact and theory here and, so to speak, underline it, because we know there is still a considerable confusion in the public mind between the fact of Evolution and the conflicting theories about how it works. Dishonest Creationists, narrow fanatics, and muddle-headed people attempt to confuse the very wide diversity of opinion among scientific men upon questions of how and why with their assertion of established fact. Through this confusion it is suggested that the hated fact is still unproven. It is, on the contrary, proven up to the hilt..."

Sound familiar? I find this interesting, particularly in lieu of the copyright dates of this book.


II is an excellent site. Keep up the good work.