--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is not to deny that there are…" description: "\"This is not to deny that there are versions of theism that do conflict with evolutionary biology. Young Earth Creationism is an example; it claims that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c7/elliott-sober-13087_biology_this-is-not-to-deny-that-there-are-versi_580183.jpg" --- # This is not to deny that there are versions of theism that… ![“This is not to deny that there are versions of theism that do conflict with evolutionary biology. Young Earth Creationism is an example; it claims that God created life on earth within the past 10,000 to 50,000 years. But other types of theism are different.” quote by Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c7/elliott-sober-13087_biology_this-is-not-to-deny-that-there-are-versi_580183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c7/elliott-sober-13087_biology_this-is-not-to-deny-that-there-are-versi_580183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c7/elliott-sober-13087_biology_this-is-not-to-deny-that-there-are-versi_580183.jpg) > “This is not to deny that there are versions of theism that do conflict with evolutionary biology. Young Earth Creationism is an example; it claims that God created life on earth within the past 10,000 to 50,000 years. But other types of theism are different.” [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some theistic views conflict with evolution, while others can coexist, showing diversity in religious interpretations. **In simple terms:** Not all religious ideas clash with science; some align. Key Takeaway Explore compatible theological perspectives. Themes theism evolution science religion philosophy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type academic dialogue When to use this quote - science education - interfaith dialogue - public policy - academic research Key Concepts compatibilism epistemology theology Questions to Reflect On - How can dialogue bridge science and faith? - What criteria make a belief compatible with evolution? A Different Perspective Some believers may reject scientific evidence despite compatible doctrines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Creationism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creationism/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Evolutionary biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary-biology/) [God Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-created/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Theism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theism/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The tragedy of young-earth creationism is that it takes a relatively recent and extreme view of Genesis, applies to it an unjustified scientific gloss,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-tragedy-of-young-earth-creationism-is-that-it-takes-a-relatively/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > ["Methodological naturalism" and "metaphysical naturalism" are terms that often surface in the continuing battle between evolutionary biology and creationism/intelligent design. The methodological thesis says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/methodological-naturalism-and-metaphysical-naturalism-are-terms-that/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [“Oh golly, Brer Fox, your forthright assertion—that evolutionary biology disproves the idea of a creator God—jeopardises the teaching of biology in science class, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/oh-golly-brer-fox-your-forthright-assertion-that-evolutionary-biology/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Why has the medical profession not taken advantage of the help available from evolutionary biology, a well-developed branch of science with great potential for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randolph-m-nesse/why-has-the-medical-profession-not-taken-advantage-of-the-help/) [Randolph M. Nesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randolph-m-nesse/) > [“Intelligent design theorists have learned a few lessons from the failures of their predecessors and have devised a more sophisticated strategy to compete head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-pennock/intelligent-design-theorists-have-learned-a-few-lessons-from-the/) Robert T. Pennock > ["Tiger is a natural kind" and "Tiger is a historical particular" are incompatible with each other, and evolutionary biology provides a reason for favoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/tiger-is-a-natural-kind-and-tiger-is-a-historical-particular-are/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [“What I should have said is that he thinks that there is a conflict between evolutionary biology and theism. Dennett thinks that evolutionary theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/what-i-should-have-said-is-that-he-thinks-that-there-is-a-conflict/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [I disagree with those who argue that evolutionary biology and the existence of God are incompatible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/i-disagree-with-those-who-argue-that-evolutionary-biology-and-the/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [I don't endorse deism or interventionist theism. My point is just that evolutionary biology is logically compatible with the former and with some versions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/i-don-t-endorse-deism-or-interventionist-theism-my-point-is-just-that/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [The big picture, I think, is that common ancestry is evidentially prior to natural selection in Darwin's theory and in contemporary evolutionary biology as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/the-big-picture-i-think-is-that-common-ancestry-is-evidentially-prior/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [“In science's pecking order, evolutionary biology lurks somewhere near the bottom, far closer to phrenology than to physics. For evolutionary biology is a historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-science-s-pecking-order-evolutionary-biology-lurks-somewhere-near/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [“Love begins with the stage of subconscious primitive lust and attraction. I’m saying primitive because at this very early stage there is really no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/love-begins-with-the-stage-of-subconscious-primitive-lust-and/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Before you can ask 'Is Darwinian theory correct or not?', You have to ask the preliminary question 'Is it clear enough so that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/before-you-can-ask-is-darwinian-theory-correct-or-not-you-have-to-ask/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [Evolutionary biology is now uttering and seeking those forces that link us with all those that have being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-forsyth/evolutionary-biology-is-now-uttering-and-seeking-those-forces-that/) Adrian Forsyth > [“The second irony of evolutionary biology is that this transubstantiation of natural theology into the grand narrative of natural selection has itself taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-lustig/the-second-irony-of-evolutionary-biology-is-that-this/) Abigail Lustig ## More by Elliott Sober > [From the fact that E is evidence for T and the fact that T entails M, it doesn't follow that E is evidence for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/from-the-fact-that-e-is-evidence-for-t-and-the-fact-that-t-entails-m/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Evolutionary game theory was originally developed as an alternative to the hypothesis of group selection; now it is clear that game theory models postulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/evolutionary-game-theory-was-originally-developed-as-an-alternative/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Earlier attempts to show that simpler theories always have higher prior probabilities have failed, but there is a restricted circumstance in which the claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/earlier-attempts-to-show-that-simpler-theories-always-have-higher/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > ["Methodological naturalism" and "metaphysical naturalism" are terms that often surface in the continuing battle between evolutionary biology and creationism/intelligent design. The methodological thesis says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/methodological-naturalism-and-metaphysical-naturalism-are-terms-that/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [The big picture, I think, is that common ancestry is evidentially prior to natural selection in Darwin's theory and in contemporary evolutionary biology as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/the-big-picture-i-think-is-that-common-ancestry-is-evidentially-prior/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Some philosophical arguments (e.g., in connection with the mind/body problem) look pretty good, while others (e.g., those that criticize moral realism) do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/some-philosophical-arguments-e-g-in-connection-with-the-mind-body/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [I have spent a lot of time arguing that the theory of group selection is not the stupid, pernicious doctrine that many biologists once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/i-have-spent-a-lot-of-time-arguing-that-the-theory-of-group-selection/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Deism is compatible with evolutionary theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/deism-is-compatible-with-evolutionary-theory/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > ["Simpler is always better" is an overstatement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/simpler-is-always-better-is-an-overstatement/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Group selection and individual selection are just two of the selection processes that have played important roles in evolution. There also is selection within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/group-selection-and-individual-selection-are-just-two-of-the/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Instead of thinking of the question of race genealogically, and leaving it open whether vernacular races are genealogical units, the interest in biomedicine has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/instead-of-thinking-of-the-question-of-race-genealogically-and/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [If the organisms in a species now have trait T, and this trait now helps those organisms to survive and reproduce because the trait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/if-the-organisms-in-a-species-now-have-trait-t-and-this-trait-now/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Another way to test hypotheses about adaptation is to consider trait variation across a group of species instead of focusing on the trait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/another-way-to-test-hypotheses-about-adaptation-is-to-consider-trait/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [Evolutionary theory, properly understood, does not conflict with the idea that God occasionally intervenes in nature - for example, by once or twice causing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/evolutionary-theory-properly-understood-does-not-conflict-with-the/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) > [I don't endorse deism or interventionist theism. My point is just that evolutionary biology is logically compatible with the former and with some versions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-sober/i-don-t-endorse-deism-or-interventionist-theism-my-point-is-just-that/) [Elliott Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) [Explore all 52 Elliott Sober quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-sober/) ## More Biology quotes > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) Hideaki Sena > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) Tom Atlee > [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-medicine-and-was-pleased-when-my/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [Evolution... is the most powerful and the most comprehensive idea that has ever arisen on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/evolution-is-the-most-powerful-and-the-most-comprehensive-idea-that/) [Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is not to deny that there are versions of theism that do conflict with evolutionary biology. 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