Intelligent Design Vs. Evolution which should be taught in schools?

[Thorned Rose 0]

anarchyboard88, I agree with some of what you say. A lot of people are arguing that evolution shouldn't be taught in schools because it is an unproven theory and based on belief just as I.D. is. But the problem with that argument is that science is about showing how the universe (and everything in it) works using scientific method and I.D. does not incorporate unbiased scientific method but pure belief. Not to mention that many things in science are still just theories. For example, atomic structure - technically theory because nobody has seen the structure of an atom yet the structure that is taught in schools is a given and necessary for chemistry. You cannot teach chemistry properly without teaching atomic structure. Even though atomic structure is still theory, it was deduced with scientific method. For more information on the experiments go here. Once upon a time, atoms themselves were theoretical and yet here they are:

http://unews.utah.edu/

Or how about Einstein's Theory of Relativity (or more specifically Special Relativity). Theory for about 80 years until NASA did an experiment whereby they synchronised two atomic clocks, put one on the shuttle and then compared the two when the shuttle arrived back:

For example, a highly precise atomic clock flying in an experiment called NAVEX on STS-61A/Challenger in 1985 measured a slowdown of 0.000,000,000,295 seconds for each second of flight, almost exactly what Einsteins formulas predicted.

Just because something is still only theory does not mean it isn't true.

Evolution, even though it still in it's theoretical stages has scientific method to back it up - i.e. the accumulation of experiments and data that lends weight to it's positive conclusion. I.D. has no scientific method and no experiments or data in any way to back it up. It is religious theorum and thus belongs in religious studies. I have no problem with people wanting to study it either in religious studies or extracurricular but it has no place in a science class. I went to a Catholic school where both evolution and creationism were taught. There was never any conflict as they are two different subjects. And I think that if you are going to teach Religious Studies you should teach all religions unless of course you go to a religion specific school as I did (Catholic). Schools have an obligation to teach all sides and let students think for themselves rather than forcing ideas down their throats and stifling new thought and creativity. As soon as you do that you lose innovation and people become mindless slaves to indoctrination. This can be seen in many countries that have theocracies or dictatorships - they are often technologically backwards and have a high proportion of poverty e.g. Afganistan, North Korea etc

[iwuvcookies 0]

Religion or evolution i just think they should present two sides to the teaching of this topic. I don't find it very important for people who have totally different beliefs as in creationism and evolution, to be arguing what should and not should be taught in schools. I go in as a student with my ideals and whatever they teach me I accept it. Take the test, go on, and pass. Its merely objective to me. Just like accept it but you don't have to acknowledge that it is the absolute truth and it so it conflicts with your beliefs and start aguing.

[icemarle 0]

Well, first off, I'm not religious, but I do defend my religion. Personally, I think they should stay out of this, because what is taught is THEORY and it doesn't mean that just because its TAUGHT, that the people immediately BELIEVE in it. I think they're too skeptical.I'm in a school where my religious beliefs crash with the majority, and I've learned to bear with it ever since, but no matter what they teach me in school, I still stick to my own principles. Like I said, it doesn't matter what is taught, what matters is how you actually feel about it! You can't let your principles change easily just because it's taught, right!? By the way, I suggest that you people stop bashing the "religious" people too... They may be skeptical, (I personally don't like it) but you shouldn't judge people for what they believe in.

[wariorpk 0]

I personally think that you are over reacting. People have the right to think what they want. In my opinion, since America is a country where people's differing opinions should be accepted. If you ask me they should teach both in schools. The people who support evolution can learn evolution and the people who support intelligent design can learn intelligent design. That way everyone wins and people can learn what they want.

[Earths Daughter 0]

As several people here have said, if you teach one religion's viewpoint on creation, you have to teach them all. I don't think the Christian Vocal Minority really want that. What they want is for everybody to be taught what they personally believe.

 

But if you're not taught ID in school, can you really go for very long without learning about it elsewhere? You will hear about it from TV, radio, family, friends, Jehovah's Witnesses and others knocking at your door, and of course, churches, if you ever set foot in one. Science believes in evolution, Religious people believe in ID. When was the last time an evolutionist came knocking at your door to discuss science with you? I don't know about you, but in my case, it's never happened. If Evolution is not taught in schools, kids won't get much, if any exposure to it at all.

 

Before airplanes were invented, a lot of religious people said that it was impossible for man to fly. If they had stopped teaching anything that had to do with the possibility of flying, would we have airplanes today? The vast majority of people knew man couldn't fly, and they believed it. And yet they taught science in schools anyway, and eventually a couple of brothers from Dayton, Ohio proved what most people knew and believed was wrong. And let's not forget that at one time everybody believed the Earth was flat, and you could sail off the edge of it, and the moon was made of green cheese, etc. Just because a lot of people know and believe something, doesn't mean it's true. Science has continued to be taught and studied, and has proved a lot of such knowledge and belief to be wrong. But sometimes science has been proven wrong. Let's not forget the "mythical" kraken (giant squid) that scientists said didn't exist.

 

So maybe science will prove evolution someday, and maybe it won't. Actually, I take that back. If science is no longer taught, it will not be able to prove any theory that religious people have is wrong. So we see the convenient thing for religious people who don't completely believe in ID would be for evolution to no longer be taught at all. But if ID is not taught in schools, people will still hear about it from other sources. So let's be fair, and teach science in science classes, and religion in religious classes.

 

And by the way, the two are not necessarily exclusive. Evolution can only explain where people's physical bodies and thinking abilities came from. It can't explain where souls come from, if you believe in souls. Maybe when the Bible says God created man in His own image, it meant spiritually, as in having a conscience and a sense of right and wrong, something animals don't have. Unless you believe that God has a material body and looks just like a normal human being physically?

[sammaye 0]

I am very aphist (or how ever you spell it, jus some one who dont believe in god) I believe in science and that everything has a proven scientific explanation behind it...even these people who say they can communicate with ghosts. Personnaly I thinnk all this is jus religion trying to hold on to something that they cant. We are not in the 19th century where religon controls all..as for chrsitians they should really let go of their power. I know this may be very insulting but I see the catholic church as very self centred on gaining and keeping as much power as possilbe...I have come to this reasoning via doing history if you notice a lot of wars and such like in hte past was cos of christianity in one way or another..this is the same as evolution all the christian church is trying to hold on to censoring ppl but all they are doing is telling the world they are hipocrites..i.e. that guy in italy who said the sun was the centre of this solar system so the catholic church executed him...and only like 10 years ago said that he was right....As for souls..I believe in no soul I believe that who we are comes from what we are...what we are taught and who we live with and what environment we existed in. I believe we are who everyone and our selves make us...we do as others beofre us have done before us...we act as humans would always act...also unlike religon we are not the rulers of this world...the world rules us and its shows us everytime a hurricane sweeps over or a earth quake happens or something...

[Thorned Rose 0]

Just to put some two cents in

Earths Daughter, thats a good point about evolutionists not coming knocking on your door. And an important point being that evolutionists are not actively forcing anything on anyone. Science is about proving how something works and proof speaks for itself. Religions must constantly bombard you with their beliefs to 'convert you' such as door knocking (the Jehovah's Witnesses around here just won't give up no matter how many times we send them away - very annoying).

 

One thing I would like to point out is that Richard Pearse was actually the first to fly (about 9 months before the Wright brothers) but often isn't considered so because 1. He's not an American (a New Zealander instead) and 2. He crashed into a hedge so he himself didn't consider his flight a success but he did fly before the Wright brothers.

 

sammaye, athiest (aphist) means you don't believe in anything not just that you don't believe in God.

 

Souls for certain do exist but to say that they are separate from science is silly. Everything is science - science explains the universe and just because science hasn't yet explained them doesn't mean they have no scientific basis. Souls could be explained as being a type of energy that can hold a persons experiences. Life needs a soul to live just as it needs life force (or Qi [Chi]) to glue everything together.Certainly a person is in part the sum of all their experiences but that includes past lives. The soul evolves as well.

 

People keep asking what the meaning of life is - there is no meaning to life - it just is. It may not have a meaning but it does have a point and that is to continue and become better i.e. evolve, not just physically but in the soul as well. Don't ask yourself why you are here, ask yourself "what can I do to make myself better?" - that is the point.

[semeticsister 0]

First off, let me tell you all that I believe in intelligent design, but RELIGION DOES NOT BELONG IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

 

I'd like to say that in school, we are taught facts, right? Why should science be any different? In history, they don't teach us that George Washington's mother was a red marshmellow because its not true. In English, they don't teach us that "orange" is spelled with a "t" because its not true. In Math, they don't teach us that two plus two equals 3,987,025,706 because its not true.

 

So why, I ask you, WHY should we be taught a theory that has no basis in fact, cannot be tested or experimented on using the scientific method? Even if evolution is not true, at least there is more proof of it than intelligent design.

 

I'm not implying that i.d. is not true, nor am I saying that it is false, but I'm just saying that when it comes to a theory that is in a gray area such as i.d., it does not belong in public school.

 

And another thing, these bigoted people complain that evolution being taught it "forcing the religion of atheism on their children".

 

WTF?!

 

Atheism is NOT a religion. It is the complete ABSENCE of religion.

 

Before people start spewing their corrupted theories, maybe they should, oh i don't know, GET A F**KING CLUE.

[semeticsister 0]

And another thing: I don't know what I got myself into when I started this topic! Lol

Edited February 12, 2006 by semeticsister (see edit history)