International Student Congress of Evolutionary Biology 2012

1. International Student Congress of Evolutionary Biology

METU Biology and Genetics Student Club  September 29 – October 1, 2012
Middle East Technical University, Cultural and Convention Center, Kemal Kurdas Hall, Ankara, TURKEY

Through scientific thinking, the unknown in the nature is explained and the truth is sought independently. Therefore our questions find an answer. The theories built with scientific thinking reveal the truth, just like the photons spread on a straight line and colliding with the unknown.

Unfortunately, today the shadow of ignorance is upon science and scientific facts. In the darkest of the shadows the brightest shining star is evolution. The evolutionary theory, which has been assaulted by the groundless attacks of the enemies of science, is shining brighter and brighter with the help of the thousands scientific works. It is very tragic that this threat towards the theory of evolution has been able to retain its existence until recently, and it is even more tragic to see that the threat has been on the rise recently. Survival of this dark threat and the rise of it is quite tragic; because the enlightment has begun very early in history. 2600 years ago, the first sparks of science has appeared “miraculously”1 in Anatolia.

The ancient philosophers of Anatolia have analyzed the natural phenomenon without any myths and dogmatic visions, only by depending on observation and rationalism. In Miletus, Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes have tried to explain the foundations of the universe with the guidance of rationalism, and they established the principles of science on Anatolian soil. Anaximander is the first to avow the change of life on Earth, thus he is the first person to develop a thought on evolution.

Although the theory of evolution has been attempted to be frayed on the very same soil it was born, evolution as a scientific reality grows on the young branches of the tree which stems on the soil where the great philosophers started scientific thinking. Following and advocating scientific method is essential to keep this tree growing. Thus, we must act as the young people of Anatolia who take science as the major principle just like Goethe who once mused “In principio erat Actum”2. As a result, In order to think and reflect more on the question of Evolutionary Theory, it is our aim to invite all the young people of the world to Anatolia where scientific thinking and the thought of evolution was born. Therefore we will be able to show that the reality of evolution, which is one of the brightest stars of science, will maintain its existence, and science will rule on this soil and in the entire world. Because, evolution isn’t only the basis of biology, but it also adds “grandeur to this view of life.”3

Babür ERDEM
Chairman of the Organizing Committee