Why We Should Be Teaching Intelligent Design to High School Students
In opposition to the views of some parents, high school students should not be sheltered, especially in free-thinking. The problem with teaching religion is that there is usually no decision involved; children tend to follow in the path of their parents' beliefs. But everyone should have the choice to decide for themselves what they believe in faith. There is already so much animosity between religion (just look at Al Queda and the United States), the last thing the world needs is another generation of people coming through ignorant of the world's religions and how they intersect.
Through introducing not only the majority religion, but also minority beliefs, a better overall understanding and tolerance will form. Intelligent design should have a forum in high school to be discussed, but in the context of multiple faiths.
At an attendance of a play entitled The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial, an audience member posed a question about the intelligent design debates of today corresponding to the evolution debates of 1925. Should they be taught in public school? Throughout the play, which is centered around the trial of John Scopes, a high school biology teacher charged with illegally teaching the theory of evolution, it was evident by the emanations of both the live cheers and the added sound effects (which corresponded to the audience of the evolution era) that the audience of today is very much the opposite of the Scopes trial audience.
Whereas evolution was rejected in earlier times, intelligent design is rejected today. In analyzing the similarities of these two debates, one must come to the conclusion that if the roles were reversed (if someone were on trial for teaching intelligent design over evolution) the reaction of today's public would more likely than not coincide with the reaction of the public in 1925.
The only solution is to teach a broad range of possiblities and offer all of the information available. It is important for teenagers to be informed in order to develop their own opinions and beliefs.
Published by J Gorman
A recent graduate from Penn State University, J. Gorman is currently working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. View profile
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- The problem with teaching religion is that there is usually no decision involved; children tend to follow in the path of their parents' beliefs.
- Through introducing not only the majority religion, but also minority beliefs, a better overall understanding and tolerance will form.
- ...everyone should have the choice to decide for themselves what they believe in faith.
34 Comments
Post a CommentThe fact is neither the evolutionists nor the ID have been able to prove either one. I for one will stand by what i have read from the bible, and until you SHOW me otherwise, I place my trust in the almighty.
The commenters that say Evolution has not been observed must have never studied viruses.
The science that is taught in classrooms have undergone peer review and have been corroborated by fellow scientists through rigorous scrutiny and falsification. ID has simply not gone through any of this. Scientific ideas must successfully go through these difficult channels to get into science text books. Why would we allow government interjection to let ID bypass this means of falsification? Why does ID get this exception, when nothing else in science does? If ID can't go through the normative channels that all scientific theory and studies go through, it speaks volumes of its credibility.
And I too would like to reiterate the lack of understanding evolution that seems to be rampant in the comments. Evolution itself is a fact, whereas the mechanics of evolution are theoretical. We all accept gravity, yet gravity is precisely a fact and a theory in exactly the same way that Evolution is both a fact and a theory. Gravity is fact, but the mechanics of it are theoretical.
For you Misinformed people saying Evolution is not real go to this link and learn. Obviously not knowing is your problem. So if you want to increase your understanding on the matter then head here and then after you are done start looking toward REAL scientists for answers and ask them for proof (which they can provide). Easy...
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-fact.html
YOu guys can repeat "Evolution is not a fact," "Evolution is unsupported by evidence," "Evolution is a myth," until the cows come home. Evidence for evolution is mountainous, despite your repeated claims to the contrary. Repeating a lie does not make it true. Produce your intelligent designer and you can join in our reindeer games. Unitl then, you have a hunch, a supposition, or a really cool screenplay...but you do NOT have a valid scientific theory.
The evolution myth is completely unsupported by rational arguments or scientific evidence. It is based on a dogmatic Atheist metaphysics. The founders of evolution like Earnst Haeckel and Thomas Henry Huxley claimed it was a religion. In the free market of ideas it is constantly losing ground because of its dishonest rhetoric and absurd arguments. American belief in Creationism has moved from 39% of the population to 55% and growing. only 10% or less beleve in evolution. Why should this minority be able to impose their religious beliefs at the expense of the 90% who believe in God. Except for genetics (which has proved Darwinian genetics false) Biology should be thought of as one of the "soft" sciences like Sociology.
Evolution is not reality. That is a personal opinion of yours, it is not fact. You forget it is still the THEORY of Evolution. Therefore, if it is not a scientific fact, why should we teach it as if it is a scientific fact?
I think that we need to teach both evolution and creationism/intelligent design, but teach them both from a neutral standpoint, not one saying "Evolution is right and you have no say in the matter to decide for yourself" and the same with creation/id
Deborah Hooper - Please show us the person who has lived for billions of years and perhaps we can ask him or her if single cells evolved into mammals over time. Or perhaps you might try reading about the theory of Evolution before going off on uneducated tirades? The problem with teaching religious beliefs like Intelligent Design in schools is that it is a "belief." If taught in a comparative religions class, sure, maybe they should include it. However, Christianity is already included in most comparative religions classes.
Intelligent design isn't intelligent and it isn't science. Evolution is reality. ID and creationism are based on fear of literal faith and intelligence. I agree that ID should be taught, but it should be taught as a way that millions can buy into a falsehood.
I agree that Intelligent Design is not a science, although it can be supported by science. I have a newsflash for you. Evolution is not science either. No one has ever observed or measured a single cell organism mutating into a mammal. Evolution is only deduced or better yet speculated from what can be observed, and that my friend is NOT science. Evolution is an applicantion of Hegel's Philosophy of Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis applied to the natural world. Darwin renounced this philosphy on his deathbed. The war is not between science and religion, but between a philosphy presupposing the exsistence of God and one which presupposes the nonexsistence of God. The key word being "Presupposes". Supposition is not science. So at least teach all the philosophies in order to allow students to decide for themselves.