Backlash against dogmatization of Florida evolution education
The Darwinists thought that the "creationists" and "fundies" -- as they call those opposed to dogmatic teaching of evolution in the public schools -- were going to roll over and play dead after a stupid, biased judge in Pennsylvania ruled that criticism of evolution is unscientific. Well, events around the country since that ruling have shown otherwise. Opposition to the dogmatization of evolution education is especially strong in Florida. it has been reported that 12 Florida school boards have passed resolutions opposed to the dogmatic teaching of Darwinism.
Though the Darwinists have long had the upper hand in science education, they are not satisfied with the status quo but are trying to make evolution education more dogmatic. I don't even remember studying Darwinism in high school biology class in California in the early 1960's. We certainly didn't get any of this "grand central supreme overarching underlying fundamental unifying principle of biology" crap. Darwinism was just not seen as being all that important. What's the big problem with teaching the weaknesses of Darwinism? It seems that it is mainly the Darwinists who are demanding that their side be taught dogmatically.
Though the Darwinists have long had the upper hand in science education, they are not satisfied with the status quo but are trying to make evolution education more dogmatic. I don't even remember studying Darwinism in high school biology class in California in the early 1960's. We certainly didn't get any of this "grand central supreme overarching underlying fundamental unifying principle of biology" crap. Darwinism was just not seen as being all that important. What's the big problem with teaching the weaknesses of Darwinism? It seems that it is mainly the Darwinists who are demanding that their side be taught dogmatically.
Labels: Evolution education
posted by Larry Fafarman | 1/11/2008 03:38:00 PM
9 Comments:
Good for the Florida school boards. Darwinism certainly is mere speculation that can't be confirmed by any proper empirical test. It's a highly improbable hypothesis, since it fits very poorly with most of the available evidence. The fossil record, and certain forms of complexity in life at the molecular level, both fit very poorly with Darwinism.
That's odd, since they were all jigsawed from the same piece of cardboard. Maybe you need to rotate the pieces or turn them over?
That Sherwood? So I've understood,
He must be a FUNDIE! For good!
He must wobble and shake
As he handles a snake,
Or he'd swallow our theory! He would!
(If Leaver tells any more lies about me, I'm going to resign as his ghostwriter. -Jim Sherwood)
Regardless of whatever side we choose to be on this overblown non-issue, the only fact here is that these 12 Florida schools will pay dearly for their religiously-motivated dumbassery.
As shown in Dover, despite an overwhelming fundamentalist population, it only takes a few families and teachers to cost the school district millions because the law is on their side. I sincerely hope that the superintendent of Taylor county has an alternative career lined up...
Darwinists may be in a position, at least temporarily, to use the courts to punish people for doubting their doctrine that all life evolved by perfectly mindless, mechanical causes: and essentially by struggle, blunder, death and slaughter.
But the Darwinist hypothesis has no real empirical verification, and may be improbable. So it should not be taught in schools as if it were the same as empirically verifiable science. If it is taught at all, then the substantial evidence which weighs against it should also be taught.
The real question is what people are going to believe? Dogmatic Darwinists who use the courts to pursue their aims, aren't doing their cause,(whatever it may be), any good in the long run.
anymore so than fundies who push their own dogmatic creationist-flavored theories with complete disregard for other people's (even if it is a minority) beliefs?
Although it's curious that you yourself Larry, and your resident fanboy Jim Sherwood, have never shared your own views the identity of the intelligent designer of ID, you still get all indignant when we classify you as another mouth-breathing fundie zealot. Lets put it metaphorically:
You(the supposedly non-fundie ID'er) get into a car(Intelligent Design Movement) driven by drug dealers (fundie zealots) and go cruising around the neighborhood (education system) with the drug dealer distributing crack(ID literature). You get pulled over by cops (TEH LAW), and you know everyone in there is getting charged with possession of an illegal substance with the intent to distribute(promoting ID while being a fundie jackass), and I mean EVERYONE!
I'd oppose teaching ID theories in the schools, if there is any movement to do that. What I oppose is teaching Darwinism in schools as if it were verifiable science. It could be taught as a hypothesis, if the evidence that weighs against it is also taught.
I'm not fond of religious fundamentalist doctrines, but I'm not enthralled by Darwinist doctrines either; and I see no good reason to think that the Darwinist version of evolution is true.
I don't think that religious fundamentalists are any sort of big menace in this country: and they have a right to their own beliefs.
Alternatives to the Darwinist doctrine include not only ID theories, but "we don't really know the answer as to what caused species to appear."
"we don't really know the answer as to what caused species to appear."
>>>>>>
I don't think that religious fundamentalists are any sort of big menace in this country: and they have a right to their own beliefs.
<<<<<<
Oh they are more of a threat than you think. Arguing about the origins of life ain't the only thing the fundies are fond of. Eliminating abortion and stifling stem cell research are among many of causes being pushed by the fundies, and they get damn violent and murderous about it too. Is it harmless when an abortion clinic gets bombed or a gynecologist gunned down in a parking lot? Is is harmless when a person dying of Parkinsons has no other options other than a slow death because all the promising treatments involving stem cells were shit-canned due to fundie intervention?
It is true, fundies have a right to believe whatever the hell they want, but that right ends when it stifles the beliefs of others.
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