Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion Not-Quite-Science Forum Why it's important to teach evolution.

From a post I made at http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/08/02/1611.aspx

Some people feel that evolution is not important. I say it very well could be. Here's a story I tell my girls:
"There's an interesting anecdote, as told by Charles M. Vest, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, during commencement on June 4th, 1999. "In the early years of this century, Steinmetz was brought to General Electric's facilities in Schenectady, New York. GE had encountered a performance problem with one of their huge electrical generators and had been absolutely unable to correct it. Steinmetz, a genius in his understanding of electromagnetic phenomena, was brought in as a consultant - not a very common occurrence in those days, as it would be now. Steinmetz also found the problem difficult to diagnose, but for some days he closeted himself with the generator, its engineering drawings, paper and pencil. At the end of this period, he emerged, confident that he knew how to correct the problem. After he departed, GE's engineers found a large "X" marked with chalk on the side of the generator casing. There also was a note instructing them to cut the casing open at that location and remove so many turns of wire from the stator. The generator would then function properly. And indeed it did. Steinmetz was asked what his fee would be. Having no idea in the world what was appropriate, he replied with the absolutely unheard of answer that his fee was $1000. Stunned, the GE bureaucracy then required him to submit a formally itemized invoice. They soon received it. It included two items: 1. Marking chalk "X" on side of generator: $1. 2. Knowing where to mark chalk "X": $999."
that's from http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/steinmetz.html

Now I tell my girls this story, as well as the kids I tutor every year, and then I say to them something like this:
When you grow up, you will inherit some problems from us; there will also be problems that will be unique to your generation - some of which we might be able to anticipate and others of which we cannot currently fathom. The reason you should want to go to school, and particularly why should care about learning all you can in the sciences is so that when your time comes, you know where to put the X.

Evolution is important because it's the best science we have - and contrary to what many creationists believe or assert, it's not discussed very much even in classes where it *IS* taught.

The current crop of creationists is trying to undermine education, by 1) redefining science, and 2) promulgating false information and bad science.

Well said.

Another argument in favour of teaching evolution is that people who realise everything changes over time and space are more likely to be a little bit relaxed. More objective in coming to conclusions?

I do in fact think that evolution should be taught at schools. But it should be taught along with intelligent design to give the students the chance to choose. And we do not promulgate false information and bad science. Try looking around you at the trees. How could they not be designed by a creator. The earth is so beautiful. If you go to the mountains, evidence for God is astounding; meadows, trees, deer, no cities, beautiful sunsets, and no civilization to ruin the beauty. Creation alone testifies to a Creator (Psalm 19:1, Romans 1:20)

Evolution is science.

Intelligent Design is not science.

To the extent that it makes statements about science, they are commonly and provably false, or they are invalid inferences.

What should be taught in public school science classes is actual science, not pretend science. Religion should be taught in church or at home.

science should be taught in school.

religion should be taught in religious institutions (chruches, circles, temples, synagogue, mosque, or other places).

science should not be taught in religious institutions

religion should not be taught in school.

The problem with teaching "intelegent design" is that it is a christian thing. teachers would not accept other religion's interpretation. Therefore it cant be taught in schools. The constitutions and its bill of rights demand that you not be allowed to force your religion down the throat of children of other religions. that does include the "religion" of atheism, its a valid choise for a belief.

Very simply Tim this is how you can tell the difference between science and religion.

Into a room put an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi, the Pope, a Lutheran minister, a Seventh Day Adventist, a Mormon, an Shia Muslim, a Sunni Muslim, and an Alawite Muslim, a Buddhist, an animist, an atheist, and a couple of normal people who have no idea what the truth is.

Put a thermometer into a bucket of water and cool the water. They will all agree on the temperature at which water freezes.

Now if you have some proposition about intelligent design, creation, Mary Queen of Scots, or whatever put it to this same group. If they will all agree then it is science. If not it is an article of faith. And you are welcome to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal saviour or the invisible purple rhinoceros or the tooth fairy but please don't try to sell them with bumper stickers or on a science related website to the rest of us.

I agree

But is atheism a religion, too?
12th century. Via Anglo-Norman religiun , from Old French religion , from the Latin stem religion- ?obligation, reverence,?
My dictionary defines religion as "people?s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life." Atheists believe that there isn't a god, which fits in with the definition of science. Atheism is taught at schools.
Okay, I was wrong; ID shouldn't be taught at schools, but neither should science that isn't proven that seems it would point to no god (a.k.a. atheism). Do you get what I mean?

Science should be taught in the public school classroom.

Science doesn't say anything about god.

Evolution doesn't say anything about god.

Evolution IS actual science. It's on as solid a footing as Germ Theory of Disease. It should be taught. If it conflicts with particular fundamentalist beliefs, I truly am sorry. I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable. But religious authorities don't get to decide what is and what is not science.

science is not atheism, its possible to be both a scientist and a christian. If science was about atheism, then i would be up in arms, because that would be going against my beliefs. But it isnt. It only goes against createism. Forcing people to learn about one religion out of all of them would be completely wrong. If they are going to teach ID, then they have to teach witchcraft, islam, Buddhism, and every other religion in the world, and that would be way to confusing.

Tim asks:
"But is atheism a religion, too?"

Atheism is, by definition, the lack of a belief. It has no temples or churches, it collects no money to build monuments to itself. It has no flag, no icons, no statuary. It has no popes or priests or ministers. And it is definitely not recognized by any country anywhere for tax exempt status as a religion. So by both moral and legal definitions the answer is NO!

But don't confuse science with atheism. They are two very different things. Science is a method for determining objective truth. It is not a belief system and is not based upon what you believe or in which country or culture you were raised.