Geez! and I thought creationism was just a problem here in the U.S., home of the wackos. Ken
--- Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0622-03.htm > Published on Thursday, June 22, 2006 by the > Independent / UK > > World Scientists Unite to Attack Creationism > > by Sarah Cassidy > > The world's scientific community united yesterday to > launch one of > the strongest attacks yet on creationism, warning > that the origins of > life were being "concealed, denied or confused". > > The national science academies of 67 countries > warned parents and > teachers to ensure that they did not undermine the > teaching of > evolution or allow children to be taught that the > world was created > in six days. > > Some schools in the US hold that evolution is merely > a theory while > the Bible represents the literal truth. There have > also been fears > that these views are creeping into British schools. > > The statement, which the Royal Society signed on > behalf of Britain's > scientists, said: "We urge decision-makers, teachers > and parents to > educate all children about the methods and > discoveries of science and > foster an understanding of the science of nature. > Knowledge of the > natural world in which they live empowers people to > meet human needs > and protect the planet. > > "Within science courses taught in certain public > systems of > education, scientific evidence, data, and testable > theories about the > origins and evolution of life on Earth are being > concealed, denied, > or confused with theories not testable by science." > > The statement followed a long-running row over > claims that some of > Tony Blair's flagship city academies teach > creationism in science > lessons. Schools in the North-east backed by one > academy sponsor, Sir > Peter Vardy, have been accused of promoting > creationism alongside > evolution. The schools have denied the claims and > insisted they abide > by the national curriculum. > > Academics in the US have voiced concern over similar > theories being > taught in American schools. Scientists also fear the > spread of a > theory known as "intelligent design". This suggests > that species are > too complex to have evolved through natural > selection and must > therefore be the product of a "designer". > > Martin Rees, president of the Royal Society, said: > "There is > controversy in some parts of the world about the > teaching of > evolution to pupils and students, so this is a > timely statement that > makes clear the views of the scientific community. I > hope this > statement will help those who are attempting to > uphold the rights of > young people to have access to accurate scientific > knowledge about > the origins and evolution of life on Earth." > > It has been revealed that creationism is being > included in the > science curricula of a growing number of UK > universities. Leeds > University plans to incorporate one or two > compulsory lectures on > creationism and intelligent design into its > second-year course for > zoology and genetics undergraduates next Christmas, > according to The > Times Higher Education Supplement. At Leicester > University, academics > discuss creationism and intelligent design with > third-year genetics > undergraduates for about 20 minutes in lectures. > > In both cases, lecturers argue that the > controversial theories will > presented as fallacies irreconcilable with > scientific evidence. But > the fact that these "alternatives" to evolution have > been proposed > for formal discussion in lectures at all has sparked > concern among > British scientists. > > A THES investigation has also discovered there are > at least 14 > academics in science departments who consider > themselves > creationists. They believe all kinds of life were > designed rather > than evolved. Several others are proponents of > intelligent design, > which rejects evolution. > > © 2006 Independent News and Media Limited > > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuel mailing list > Biofuel@sustainablelists.org > http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list > archives (50,000 messages): > http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
