Since it's the day after Retail Jesus Day and all, how about a nice post about some of the positive effects of religion on our erstwhile democracy?
If it survives a legal test, this school district of about 2,800 students could become the first in the nation to require that high school science teachers at least mention the "intelligent design" theory. This theory holds that human biology and evolution are so complex as to require the creative hand of an intelligent force.
"The school board has taken the measured step of making students aware that there are other viewpoints on the evolution of species," said Richard Thompson, of the Thomas More Law Center, which represents the board and describes its overall mission as defending "the religious freedom of Christians."
I'm a bit too angry to say much about this, but I'll give it a shot.
First, Lark, are you really suggesting that we base our educational curricula on what you would "prefer to believe"? Really? Why you? You're stupid.
"Intelligent Design" is easily one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard. This hypothesis, if you missed it, is that biological processes are sooooo complicated that they just couldn't have arisen through natural selection. It just doesn't seem right. Therefore, god exists and created everything just like it says in the Bible.
I'm serious. That's it.
So basically the theory comes down to, "We're too stupid to understand evolutionary theory, so it couldn't possibly be true. This book here, that we get (or so they think), so it's true."
There's rarely any mention that this idea (it's not a theory, more on that in a minute) doesn't argue at all for the existence of any god(s), we could just as easily have been created by Purple Aquamen from beyond Pluto. In fact, it argues for absolutely nothing except ignorance. The underlying thinking is that we can't understand how life came about, so we might as well believe the last story we heard.
These psychopaths who are now putting stickers inside science textbooks saying that "Evolution is a theory, not a fact" don't seem to be too interested in educating their (and our) children as to what, exactly, a theory is. After all, they're right, evolution is "only" a theory.
A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.
The important bit here is that a theory "has been repeatedly tested" and "can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena".
Theories have been tested over and over again. They are not 100% absolute fact, but they're about as close as you can get. They become more "true" every time they are tested and validated.
The way intelligent design "theorists" use the word is wrong. They present it as if a theory is just some idea someone had, and any theory is just as good as any other. A theory is basically just an opinion. This is wrong. Wrong by definition.
What they're talking about is a hypothesis (and only marginally even that). Let's hit the old dictionary again for that one...
1. A tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation.
2. Something taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation; an assumption.
Tentative. Can be tested. An assumption.
These people pretend to be scientists based solely on the fact that they talk about cells and biological systems, nothing more. Because they base their hypothesis on the complexity of the cell (we said cell!), it's "based in science."
To be really accurate, Intelligent Design doesn't even rise to the status of a hypothesis since it can't be tested. It's theology, and that's all it is. It's not even remotely scientific, yet it's being put into science textbooks all over the country. They are attempting to raise an entire generation of Americans who have a completely confused understanding of what science means, let alone understand any of the details of scientific theory. (See the debate over abstinence education for more horror stories.)
We really can't let them get away with this. If the school board in your community is considering these kinds of changes, gather up 80 or 90 of your friends and go down there and tell them what you think. I might have to stay home as I fear that if I'm in the same room as these people my head might explode.
Before we go, let's take a look at a couple of other things that are "just theories"... How about the theory of Gravity? How about all of those so-called "laws" of thermodynamics. Our entire modern society is based on our ever-increasing understanding of these principles, but can anyone really "prove" conservation of energy? How do you know it's not my cat secretly willing these things to act the way they do? He's a pretty powerful cat. I call this Roo Theory. Look for it in your kids textbooks soon.
Merry Christmas.
