This post in Scienceblog generates a debate between creation and evolution.
Here is a fence-sitter [comment #4 posted by: Marta | May 26, 2007 06:04 PM]:
Can't have it both ways like the "intelligent design" crowd tries to do; either you embrace creation or evolution and live by it. New light and updates to religion & science are the norm, so somehow, the tradition of accommodating new data is familiar to both the creationists and evolutionists. Actually, respectfully co-existing beside one another with no agreement is a civilized option. Nobody owns the corner on explaining origins for the same reason that subjective consciousness remains a mystery. Enjoy studying the mystery of life from a scientific viewpoint and/or religious view point and if you don't come away with a sense of awe, YOU missed the point.
Unfortunately, I don't share that view. Creation and evolution are incompatible views and one of them is very dangerous towards future human life quality (see The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins).
Science gives us all the wonderful things we enjoy daily, from ease of travel to the convenience of communicating thousands of miles apart at the speed of light. Science helps invent cures to a large range of human sufferings. Science is based on evidence, gathered meticulously and cross-examined by many other people all over the world before it is accepted. More importantly, the current accepted theories are subjected to change if compelling evidence comes around to show otherwise. No fundamental theories in any branch of science is NOT subjected to these vigorous tests constantly. This is how human progress!
For the sake of maintaining the current status quo of "science helps the human" so that we can continue to have a better life, I urge teachers to help promote this "evidence-based, constantly testing and experimenting spirit" and forbid further spread of "blind faith". We cannot sit on the fence, and we MUST take a side. Either go back to the Middle Age or keep on advancing based on SOUND scientific principles.
2 comments:
There is no argument about the incompatibility of creationism and evolution. Albert is right on that score, but Marta is right in so far as people are entitled to their own opinions. The major issue is that creationism is not science and has no place in the science class. It is doubtful that it has a place in religious classes, in which case there appears to be no place in the curriculum for creationism at all.
Totally agree with Ric that creationism has no place in any curriculum. Kelvin Ruth, Tony Abbot and a number of Australian politicians are publicly and unashamedly proclaim their "Christianity". Who knows! I just hope that Australian schools will not subject to the same kind of pressure as the American schools to slip creationism into any curriculum.
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