Just been reading about the intelligent design case currently on trial in Pennsylvania. The PA school board voted for the following stetment to be read before science classes, and some people with brain cells are challenging it:
"Because Darwin's theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact. Gaps in theory exist for which there is no evidence ... Intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin ... With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to keep an open mind."
Which is mostly fine, as far as it goes - it exposes students to the concepts of theories being continually tested against new facts, and I like that. But intelligent design is science now, dontchaknow, and should be treated exactly equally with Darwinism; surely, to be balanced, it should really read something like:
"Because Darwin's theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a proven fact, because no theory about the past can ever be a proven fact. Gaps in the theory exist for which there is no evidence.
Intelligent design is an alternate theory of the origin of life. Despite being a theory, it continues to fail to be tested as new evidence against it is discovered and ignored. There are no portions of the theory for which there is any evidence, other than 2000 year-old second-hand hearsay.
With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to keep an open mind."
No comments:
Post a Comment