While your missive for scientific rigor is admirable, it is not without its
flaws.

Let's stipulate (just for the purpose of discussion), that no scientist who
even softly supports any manner of intelligent design theory has been able
to prove a single thesis in support of intelligent design (not a point I'm
conceding at this juncture).

With that stipulation, we can still safely say that such a lack of evidence
does not prove that God has not dipped his finger into the soup.

Example: At one time, scientists had not yet proven that cigarettes cause
cancer.

At that time, would it have been logical to say, "It is not proven that
cigarettes do not cause cancer; therefore, cigarettes do not cause cancer."

Of course that not a logical argument. It's an argument supported by
ignorance, not by fact.

So what you're saying is, "It has not been proven that a creator mucked
about with evolution; therefore, a creator did not muck about with
evolution."

Lack of evidence does not prove a theory in either direction.

Well, you may object, the cancer causing nature of cigarettes is a
verifiable outcome; however, the touch of God is not verifiable, therefore
it is not a valid field of study.

Again, this violates basic logic.

At best, you can say, "So far no scientific method has been found that
proves or disproves a supernatural phenomena; therefore, scientists should
not try and find a way to study supernatural phenomena."

You should be able to see that such reasoning is facially illogical.

In other words, the scientific method you are arguing for is simply grand
circular logic. If ABC can't be proven, ABC shouldn't be studied. It is a
system of reasoning designed to keep science a closed shop impregnable by
any who dare question its orthodoxy.

And by foisting this circular logic on our education system, a cadre of
like-minded scientists are able to breed a form propaganda that imbues
impressionable young minds with a possibly false understanding of the
natural world.

A final complaint:  You seem to like to support a lot of your claims by
referring to "creationist" or "creationism," which really confuses the issue
since nobody here is in any manner advocating "creationism" as the term is
commonly understood.  I find this a disingenuous method to avoid dealing
with the hard questions of the debate.


H.









Larry wrote:

>If creationism, or Intelligent Design can fit within the criteria of a
>scientific theory, then its appropriate to teach it in a science class.
>Since both depend on religion, as far as I can see its just another attempt
>by fundies to break the church state barrier.
>
>Remember a theory in science has to be able to be disproven by
contradictory
>evidence. Such as not happened. Where is the contradictory evidence? simply
>put there is none.
>
>A competing theory must also provide a better explanation of the existent
>data. Neither cretinism (pardon creationism) nor intelligent design meet
>that criteria. Moreover there is no valid data that support either
>creationism or intelligent design.
>
>Therefore creationism and  are quite rightly dismissed. They do not explain
>the findings of over a century of research. They do not provide a better
>explanatory model, nor are they predictive as is the current models of
>evolution. Given their inadequacies they are quite rightly dismissed by the
>scientific community.


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