Britain kicks creationism in the bootay

Darth Hulk · #1 (**permalink**) **Britain kicks creationism in the bootay** 12-07-2006

That little thing called hope has sprung forth from the apparently very intelligent government in Britain.

My favorite quote: "One is science - a rational thought process which will carry us forward into the indefinite future. The other is a cop-out and they should not be juxtaposed in science lessons."

Quote:

Ministers to ban creationist teaching aids in science lessons

· Schools will be told not to use special pack
· Intelligent design group asks for meeting

James Randerson, science correspondent
Thursday December 7, 2006
The Guardian

The government is to write to schools telling them that controversial teaching materials promoting creationism should not be used in science lessons.

The packs include DVDs and written materials promoting intelligent design, a creationist alternative to Darwinism, that were sent to every school in the country by the privately-funded group Truth in Science. Advocates of the theory argue that some features of the universe and nature are so complex that they must have been designed by a higher intelligence. Last week, the Guardian revealed that 59 schools had told Truth in Science the materials were a "useful classroom resource".

The government has already stated that the Truth in Science materials should not be used in science lessons. On November 1, the education minister, Jim Knight, wrote: "Neither intelligent design nor creationism are recognised scientific theories and they are not included in the science curriculum. The Truth in Science information pack is therefore not an appropriate resource to support the science curriculum." The Department for Education said it was working with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the public body that oversees the national curriculum, to communicate this message directly to schools.

But Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrats' science spokesman, said: "I'm amazed that they have found it so difficult and it has taken so long." He feared that some teachers would use the packs to promote intelligent design as a belief or that it would be presented as a valid scientific theory.

"[Pupils] are somehow being told these agendas are alternative ways of looking at things. They are not at all," the Nobel prizewinner and prime mover in the Human Genome Project, John Sulston, said at a lecture last week at the British Museum. "One is science - a rational thought process which will carry us forward into the indefinite future. The other is a cop-out and they should not be juxtaposed in science lessons."

The teachers' manual accompanying the DVDs says that the curriculum states that pupils should be taught about different ways of interpreting empirical evidence. "An essential part of this is for pupils to understand the nature and causes of scientific controversy. A good example of this, specified by the national curriculum, is Darwin's theory of evolution."

Andy McIntosh, a professor of thermodynamics at the University of Leeds and a member of the Truth in Science board, has written to request a meeting with ministers to discuss the advice the department is planning to send out to schools.

Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis, who chairs the parliamentary science and technology committee, said it was a good opportunity for the department to "send out a very clear directive to say that these materials should not be used within any national science curriculum lesson".

Read it here.

TMNT

KaLi · #2 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Correct.

Creationism has no place in Science.

Something · #3 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaLi

Correct.

Creationism has no place in Science.

is it not a theory?

KaLi · #4 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Something

is it not a theory?

Is Creationism a theory? If you would like to call it that, but any theory in science, except the string theory, has some evidence to back it up.

Religion has nothing supporting it

Cursed Lemon · #5 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Something

is it not a theory?

I theorize that there is a colony of living ham sandwiches at the center of Jupiter.

Midpoint · #6 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

These arguments are basically based on belief - people believe what they want to.

To eradicate creationism from the classroom is no different from creationists or conservative christians demanding that their children not be exposed to evolution.

Its an arrogant and selfish decision that pretty much has an all or nothing tone IMO.

Both ideas should be presented and the student can make a decision about which they are willing to accept - as oppossed to demanding that one particular belief system is paramount.

Science is progressive in nature and often makes readjustments due to discoveries or studies - it could easily happen in this case.

Something · #7 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaLi

Is Creationism a theory? If you would like to call it that, but any theory in science, except the string theory, has some evidence to back it up.

Religion has nothing supporting it

Nothing can back up on how the first form of life began. Evolution spawns off of that first form of life, it doesn't prove at all how life began.
therefore, anything is up for grabs and all sides should be taught.

KaLi · #8 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Something

Nothing can back up on how the first form of life began. Evolution spawns off of that first form of life, it doesn't prove at all how life began.
therefore, anything is up for grabs, and all sides should be taught.

Science doesn't claim to prove how life began, and creationism should only be taught to people who want to believe in it.

Something · #9 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaLi

Science doesn't claim to prove how life began, and creationism should only be taught to people who want to believe in it.

I guess you do have a point. But I have always found it annoying how the start of life is left out in the dark in school, and how it got to what it is today is the only thing explained. I understand that the start of life cannot be backed up with anything, but I feel it shouldn't be completely ignored.
But yeah, you're right in the fact that evolution can be backed up, and creationism cannot. I have always felt evolution should be taught.

Darth Hulk · #10 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpoint

These arguments are basically based on belief - people believe what they want to.

To eradicate creationism from the classroom is no different from creationists or conservative christians demanding that their children not be exposed to evolution.

Its an arrogant and selfish decision that pretty much has an all or nothing tone IMO.

Both ideas should be presented and the student can make a decision about which they are willing to accept - as oppossed to demanding that one particular belief system is paramount.

Science is progressive in nature and often makes readjustments due to discoveries or studies - it could easily happen in this case.

Creationism has zero place in a classroom dealing with science. If you want to teach it to a bunch of people that have interest in that then make a separate class for it. It shouldn't be mandatory because there is no evidence supporting its claims. If you open the door for stuff like that, there's no reason why a school couldn't start claiming that the whole world sprang from my anus.

TMNT

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