All well and good but ....
"Teaching Creationism" is too easily construed as "teaching that
Creationism is a validly scientific theory", which of course it
isn't. In these terms, the response is that if you want to teach it
(as opposed to teaching _about_ it (that is, exposing its weaknesses
in scientific terms) you should do so in a class on religion.
We don't want to give a wedge to those public school (in the American
usage) teachers who want the right to teach Creationism as valid
science on equal terms with evolution, as you point out.
I'm not sure that the average junior high school science teacher (who
may have taken two science courses in college) is equipped or
inclined to lead a class through a critical analysis.
On Oct 28, 2009, at 6:39 PM, [email protected] wrote:
On 28 Oct 2009 at 17:43, Christopher D. Green wrote:
More Brits than Americans now favor creationism in science classes...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/25/teach-evolution-
creationism-britons
For shame! And on Darwin's home ice too.
Opinion among scientists seems to be uniformly against
allowing any mention of creationism in the classroom. The
understandable fear is that allowing creationism to be discussed
will elevate it in the eyes of students to the status of an
alternative scientific theory worthy of attention. In a worst-case
scenario, it might allow creationist teachers the chance to
promote creationism over evolution.
But I think this misses an important opportunity. Students are
likely to be confused because, on the one hand, they are told
that science operates, not by decree, but by asking questions
and examing the evidence dispassionately, and on the other,
are told that what may appear to them as a credible alternative
theory cannot be discussed in the classroom. Yes, science
promotes free and open inquiry. No, you may not talk about
intelligent design in the classroom.
So creationism should be taught. But it should be taught in order
to contrast it with evolution as a scientific theory, supported by
evidence, capable of being disproved, subject to modification
as new evidence is obtained, and leading to new knowledge and
applications. Creationism as a religious belief can do none of
these things. Students should be able to appreciate the
difference, and where better to teach this than in the science
classroom. In short, I think it is important to teach students not
only why evolution is a scientific theory, but why intelligent
design is not.
This seems to be a distinctly minority position. But I notice that
one person quoted in the Guardian article comes close to this
position:
"But Alison Ryan, policy adviser of the Association of Teachers
and Lecturers Union, said that if a "good teacher handled the
lesson", presenting creationism and intelligent design need not
be problematic. "Science teachers could introduce creationism
as a theory that some people hold, but that is not based on
evidence."
Much better, it seems to me, than saying "Creationism is not a
scientific theory and we will not discuss it here. Try Sunday
school".
On a related note, as a member of the privileged group "Project
Steve", I have now received my (free!) t-shirt from the National
Center for Science Education ( www.ncseweb.org ).
It says on the front "Over 1000 scientists named Steve agree"
and it then lists them in tiny letters (I'm between Steven D.
Black and Stephen Blackmore). At the bottom it advises "Teach
Evolution!"
More names on the back. At the bottom it says "In memoriam
Stephen Jay Gould 1941-2002".
It's very cool. Tom, Dick (and Jane), Harry, and all the Michaels
on this list, I'm sorry, but you can't have one.
Project Steve at http://ncse.com/taking-action/project-steve
Stephen
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Stephen L. Black, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Emeritus
Bishop's University
e-mail: [email protected]
2600 College St.
Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7
Canada
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