[bondserv]

I realize that's a fairly common assessment, but the reality is that, like all scientific theories, evolutionary theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. It is entirely silent on the matter of how we should live our lives, or should behave towards others, or should function as a society. It simply doesn't involve such constructs, any more than the theory of gravity does. And anyone who claims that the theory of evolution, in and of itself, either justifies or proscribes some behavior is committing a category error of the first degree, just the same as they would be if they used the theory of gravity to justify some action. The theory of gravity tells you what will happen if you throw a baby out a window, but that does not mean that it is therefore okay to throw babies out of windows.

Does the Theory of Evolution claim that humans descended from less intelligent mammals? If this is a foundational truth does it change views on all other areas of science, philosophy, family, laws, animal rights, situational ethics, racial judgments (Which race is genetically superior), cloning, mining clones for body parts....

Common sense seems to be "tossed out the window" by your need to adhere to a rigid set of definitions. All watershed issues pivot on the whether we are evolved animals, or if we were specially created and imbued with intelligent souls by an entity that gives us authority over nature.

Take a moment to think it through and you will see your error.

[general_re]

Does the Theory of Evolution claim that humans descended from less intelligent mammals?

They did.

If this is a foundational truth does it change views on all other areas of science, philosophy, family, laws, animal rights, situational ethics, racial judgments (Which race is genetically superior), cloning, mining clones for body parts....

Why should it change those things? The theory of evolution does not, for example, deny the existence of morality, or of God, or of morality derived from God.