Why Darwinian Evolution Isn’t Like Physics or Chemistry

In this conversation, Dr. JT Bridges challenges the way Darwinian evolution is often treated as if it were the same kind of science as physics or chemistry. Drawing from the philosophy of science, he explains that evolutionary theory works with a very different kind of data—fragmentary fossils, limited access to past organisms, and evidence that cannot be tested or repeatedly observed. Because of these limitations, Dr. Bridges argues that Darwinism may function less like a strictly scientific theory and more like what philosophers call an "empirical construct," where the framework of assumptions shapes how the data is interpreted. Understanding this distinction can help clarify why debates about evolution are rarely about data—but rather the philosophical assumptions used to interpret that data.