ID/Creationism/TOE...

[badstar]

Okay...this is an old topic, I know.

I'm not arguing a point here, there's something I'm very curious about.

I think TOE was mentioned once or twice very briefly in any class where the question might have come up...earth science, biology, etc...and it was "Some people believe in evolution in varying degrees, other people believe in creationism. Now we've mentioned it, we're going to put that one down and back carefully away and go about the business of dissecting frogs." As many of you know, this was in Lancaster County, PA where attempts to teach creationism would be expected.

Did anyone else not really learn anything about evolution in reference to the origins of the universe- at all- in school?


Note: I never actually dissected a frog either.

Comments

[nofate301.livejournal.com]

Catholic School taught everything.

Big Bang, Evolution, etc.

As well as "God just went click..." Genesis.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

"God just went click...?" Is that special for the Catholic Bible?

It sounds like a CD name...

[nofate301.livejournal.com]

yesh :)

it's also robin williams on catholicism

[marilyth.livejournal.com]

I went to elementary school in Kansas and middle/high school in Texas (say what you will about creative design or what the crap!). Everything that I learned about evolution, I think I got on my own. We never really discussed much about it. I do remember science books having the ape to man ascension, either that or it was from a museum.

I do think most that I got was from dinosaur research, and all that good stuff. I don't think that my schools touched much on it either way. Pretty much the amoeba, mitochondria area, and glazed over the million years of the dinosaur, and the Ice Age and such.

Hell, I didn't even know that the cavemen and dinosaurs didn't exist at the same time.

[ranger-hotsauce.livejournal.com]

In 10th grade biology, our teacher told us something along the lines of "some people don't believe in evolution. These people are idiots. Life evolved, get over it."

I'm not really changing the language that much, either.

[ranger-hotsauce.livejournal.com]

Oh, and not only did I dissect a frog, I took it apart completely, down to each individual bone, then put the skeleton back together, posed with it's middle finger extended, and mounted it on the dashboard of my car.

[seaya.livejournal.com]

I learned about evolution in private Hebrew Day School and also again in public school.

In the Hebrew Day School, naturally we also learned the creation story, but we learned they could correlate metaphorically... :)

[pagandenma.livejournal.com]

Learned about evolution, discussed God created it all concept, and even mentioned "intelligent design" theory. Very thorough.

And I've dissected the frog, the fetal pig, the cow's eye and the cat.

Oh the joys of being a Pre-Nursing student.

[ranger-hotsauce.livejournal.com]

In a biology class, that's like discussing the idea that the Earth, is just a planet in one galaxy of billions, that the universe revolves around the Earth, and that above the clouds is another ocean while the stars are just lights in the nearby sky, saying that all three theories are equally valid, and calling it "thorough."

But I don't live in Dover. Anymore.

[saratoga80.livejournal.com]

I've always thought it this way:

1. Biology, as we have it nowadays, is fundamentally based on some degree of evolutionary science. How we develop, for example, in the first 2 weeks of life, our recently fertilized egg selves don't look much different from lizards or chickens. It's one of the many things we learn from biology, based on evolution

2. Creationism or Intelligent Deisgn (ID) are also theories, as is Evolution. However, neither is scientific past the point of hypothesis. Rather, it falls into the scientific realm known as "valid criticism". In other words, given that possibilities are infinite, is there a plausible explanation other than what is assumed to be true? Intelligent Deisgn is possible, plausible, and can be supported by analysis of simple fact. However, it lacks depth of analysis and tends to ignore other more likely causes.

3. I don't believe ID belongs in a biology class. However, it is perfectly fair to have it located in a neutral survey of philosophy class - sort of an advanced Senior class - and not required for graduation. The problem is that the first class in which they tried to do it *only* discussed criticisms of evolution. It was clearly designed to be only about ID and refute evolution. This is not the point of high school - biology is a scientifically tested methodlogy using the best discussions of science we know presented in a relevant way to your average 10th grader. Philosophy, as it is conducted at public schools, ought to be a discussion of various faiths, plus confucianism, ID, and a host of other relevant topics. I have no problem with their being discussions of various philosophies as long as it serves to open minds, not close the, Until they figure out something broad like that, ID should be out of school.

-- Rich

[fuego.livejournal.com]

i wasn't arguing for or against any stance, just curious whether people actually had this in school.

Rich, between this and the Alito post, i think youre trying to cause trouble on my journal :-P

[saratoga80.livejournal.com]

I do my best...

[forexample.livejournal.com]

Things seem much simpler in suburban New Jersey. Teaching Creationism in my home town would require at least Christian, Hindu and Buddhist versions to keep everyone quiet so no one tried.