Should Intelligent Design be taught in schools?

by AlmostAtheist 83 Replies latest jw friends

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  funkyderek

  AlmostAtheist:

  1) Teach all "how did it get here" theories, presenting the why's and why not's of all sides. Give the students various view points.

  Good idea, but not in a science class. A religion or philosophy class might be more appropriate. They could teach students about biblical creationism as well as other origin myths.

  2) Teach only what has been accepted by the scientific community.

  That's the function of a high school science class. It's not there to present every possible belief and theory. It's there to give children a grounding in the basics of modern science. Evolution is the basis of modern biology and should be taught as such. There really is no debate over it except in the more backwards areas of the USA.

  b) bad, because it causes students to believe evolution is the only idea held by anybody

  Students should definitely be made aware that there are people who do not believe in evolution. Whether it is appropriate to do so in a science class is debatable. Should a history class studying World War II be made aware of the beliefs of Holocaust deniers?

  I think it's important to teach children critical thinking skills. That way, when they are faced with the subtle deceptions of creationists, holocaust deniers and second-hand car salesmen, they will be better equipped to deal with them.
• 

  LittleToe

  Derek:
  Ironically, I agree completely with your post.
  Bet that surprised ya
• 

  funkyderek

  Ironically, I agree completely with your post.
  Bet that surprised ya

  Dognammit! What's the point of me being all controversial if people are just going to agree with me?
• 

  LittleToe

  You're losing your edge
  LOL
• 

  EvilForce

  Yes, maybe we should have courses in the unseen Yeti, Bigfoot, and Isis of ancient Egypt too.
• 

  AlmostAtheist

  2) Teach only what has been accepted by the scientific community.

  That's the function of a high school science class. It's not there to present every possible belief and theory. It's there to give children a grounding in the basics of modern science. Evolution is the basis of modern biology and should be taught as such. There really is no debate over it except in the more backwards areas of the USA.

  I guess that's the hang up, isn't it? The ID folks believe their theory is a scientific one, and that it competes with evolution as a scientific position. Even if ID was made a part of a history/mythology/religion class, they still wouldn't be satisfied because they want equal footing with evolution. As if the teacher would say, "There are two leading theories about how species originated; evolution and Intelligent Design" Of course, that isn't true. There are myriad theories.

  Is there any definition of what makes science "science", so things can be compared to it to see if it qualifies? And if it there are such standards, who has to agree that a certain thing meets those standards? Those people that make you hold out a bottle of pills, then try to push your arm down to determine if you "need" the pills would claim all sorts of science to back up what they do. I would charitably call what they do [insert charitable word that means "baloney" here]. So who gets to decide if what they do is "science" or not? I don't mean this rhetorically, who makes these calls?

  I'm still perplexed as to what the ID folks would teach, if allowed to do so.

  Day 1: "God did it."

  Day 2: "Evolution didn't do it."

  Day 3: Test over what we've learned

  What more is there to it? I'm afraid I don't know what if anything they would have to say.

  Dave

  P.S. Bad news, FunkyD! I pretty much buy everything in your post, too.
• 

  DanTheMan

  QCMBR:

  Evolution is the search for answers - if no one is challenging those answers then we missed the point of schooling IMHO

  But will the challenges being presented be subjected to challenge also? For instance, a favorite of ID'ers is "the odds against such-and-such having occurred by chance is 2 raised to the XXXth power, that's more atoms than in the whole universe..." or something similar. Will these supposed odds (usually pulled strait from the rectal file) against evolution happening be subjected to scrutiny? Why do I have a feeling that that is not going to be the case....
• 

  upside/down

  Gentleman gentleman.....rest your sphyncters.... (Blazzing Saddles)

  Whatever happened to bunson burners and the periodic table of elements...

  Hell my kids can't even do CURSIVE WRITING!!! It's not "required" anymore...

  People I think we're missing the point... If the kids can't do reading, writing and math.... then they're just prime targets for the Dubs

  Am I right?

  u/d
• 

  Mary

  OK, I guess I'm in the minority here, but I think ID should be allowed into the school curriculum.........I don't believe we got here by accident---I think there is definitely an Intelligent Design to the universe......
• 

  funkyderek

  OK, I guess I'm in the minority here, but I think ID should be allowed into the school curriculum.........I don't believe we got here by accident---I think there is definitely an Intelligent Design to the universe......

  You're free to think that, but it should not be taught as a scientific theory. It is unfalsifiable, unnnecessary and non-explanatory.