Evolution RedoYou ever have an itch that you just couldn't ged rid of to your satisfaction? The continuing debate with evolution & the Academic Freedom Act is kind of like that. I know that this subject is a redo, but it just won't go away. Two items blipped on my radar. An article appeared in the Palm Beach Post, Capitol Bureau, which started off, "Florida House lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would require teachers to point out the flaws in evolution." Now that is a fairly innocuous, fact based sentance. Until you read between the lines. This is nothing new. This has been one of the main itchy points by opponents to evolution. But if one thinks @ it, there is a thinly veiled implication. That implication is that teachers of evolution have been less than truthful & NOT telling students that there are things that evolution haven't been able to explain, that there are indeed, gaps & that there are ideas which have not been proven. funny thing though. Scientists have been pointing out gaps & unexplained things since day one. They have always realised that there is nothing wrong in telling the world that they just don't know yet. This campaign is yet another scare tactic, groundless as always & used as a diversion of some kind, just as they yell at every opportunity that evolution is ONLY a theory, as if THAT were a TOTALLY NEW CONCEPT NEVER BEFORE SAID. The second blip was a letter to the editor in today's TU asking the question, "Why just Evolution?" Now I think that is one darn good question & it begs another. If those who are opposed to evolution the way that it is taught now, are so concerned @ the Academic Freedom Act & accuracy in teaching, why are they limiting their efforts to evolution alone? Why not apply the same standards to all subjects? Are they not concerned with freedom & accuracy in all of the other subjects taught to students? Ya just gotta wonder. JATFUR. RichK
Submitted by smunsey on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 12:34pm.
It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong. Steven P Munsey A+, MCP, IASO Orange Park | Green Cove Springs munsey13@comcast.net
Submitted by smunsey on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 12:47pm.
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory. Steven P Munsey A+, MCP, IASO Orange Park | Green Cove Springs munsey13@comcast.net Submitted by SoloVoce on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 1:32pm.
Smuncey, Whether or not you realise, you hit one of the nails on the head. By the way, I agree with your statement. I addressed this in one of the other blogs, but I forget which one. Start with the term theory. Most people don't actually know what constitutes a theory, as opposed to an idea, opinion or an hypothesis. Hardly shocking considering the lack of basic scientificknowlege in this country. Theories are proposals that are backed by testing, evaluation, peer reviews & mountains of evidense among other things. It is used in the continuing effort to either prove or disprove whatever the subject might be. A few weeks back, maybe in the TU or some other pub, it was written (about the Evolution Accuracy Act/Academic Freedom Act) that one of the purposes was to enable teachers to introduce other theories of human origins other than evolution. On the surface, that sounds all well & good. One big problem. There are no other theories, let alone recognised theories. At least none of which I am aware. There are many ideas, opinions & forms of mythology out there. But not one of them meets the stringent requirements of being a theory, let alone good science. Many people say that these movements have nothing to do with religion. As I said before, & I'm not the only one, MONKEY MUFFINS. It is @ religion. It is @ separation of church & state. It is also very much @ bringing science programs in the state of Florida into the 21st century to hopefully join the rest of the planet. Other than that, I still agree with your statement. It is very much human nature. JATFUR. RichK
Submitted by 3claykids on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 12:13pm.
"Monkey Muffins" but I wish I had! Great term. And perfect for the context as well. NCLB: No Chocolate Left Behind People are talking about ...Here are the recent blog postings with the most comments. |
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Now I undestand your use of irony, but I have to answer it straight. No of course, they're not concerned about accuracy in all subjects. Otherwise, kids in Clay would learn more than abstinance only, and English teachers would not be "discouraged" from teaching certain novels in their classrooms. I have a decades old friendship with one of the propenents of this bill and no matter what she says in public and in her lobbying spiel, she is motivated by one thing: religion.
Some legislators tried to add some other topics such as sex ed to this bill and were roundly defeated. This is about some people who believe that true science and true faith are mutually exclusive. And those same people are going to try to limit the children of Florida's basic understanding of biology. Period.
NPR had a fair report on this issue this morning, as well. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90024822
As much as I want it to, this topic is not going away unless the legislature runs out of time to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill.
NCLB: No Chocolate Left Behind