Frist backs 'intelligent design' teaching

AP ^ | 8/19/5 | ROSE FRENCH

[SmithL]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Echoing similar comments from President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said "intelligent design" should be taught in public schools alongside evolution.

Frist, R-Tenn., spoke to a Rotary Club meeting Friday and told reporters afterward that students need to be exposed to different ideas, including intelligent design.

"I think today a pluralistic society should have access to a broad range of fact, of science, including faith," Frist said.

Frist, a doctor who graduated from Harvard Medical School, said exposing children to both evolution and intelligent design "doesn't force any particular theory on anyone. I think in a pluralistic society that is the fairest way to go about education and training people for the future."

The theory of intelligent design says life on earth is too complex to have developed through evolution, implying that a higher power must have had a hand in creation. Nearly all scientists dismiss it as a scientific theory, and critics say it's nothing more than religion masquerading as science.

Bush recently told a group of Texas reporters that intelligent design and evolution should both be taught in schools "so people can understand what the debate is about."

That comment sparked criticism from opponents, including Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, who called Bush "anti-science."

Frist, who is considering a presidential campaign in 2008, recently angered some conservatives by bucking Bush policy on embryonic stem cell research, voicing his support for expanded research on the subject.

Frist said his decision to endorse stem cell research was "a matter of science," but he said there was no conflict between his position on stem cell research and his position on intelligent design.

"To me, I see no disconnect between that and stem cell research," Frist said. "I base my beliefs on stem cell research both on science and my faith.

[Once-Ler]

Suppose you've got a family who doesn't want their kid taught physics, or chemistry, or history, or English. Doesn't matter - if you want your children to be intellectually incompetent, that is your choice, and remove your children from public schools. The wrong path to take is to force your mysticism on everybody else.

Another thing the schools suck at is teaching manners and the ability to listen, think about, and confront the opinions of those who respectfully disagree.

I hope tommorow is a better day for you.

[TN4Liberty]

"Actually, the life of a scientist is one of perpetual self-doubt."

LOL, not on this topic apparently.

[Right Wing Professor]

I don't know how you were fooled into beliving the GOP was antogonistic to people of faith.

Too many 'people of faith' think that refusing to allow them to control every aspect of the society is 'antagonism'.

[syriacus]

As long as they are taught in the appropriate classes. Faith in Bible Study,

Do we discuss scientific studies about prayer in Bible Study classes or in Science classes?

[Right Wing Professor]

And when has the formation of a new species been observed?

Read and learn.

[Borges]

Do we discuss scientific studies about prayer in Bible Study classes or in Science classes?

what exactly is a scientific study of prayer?

[beavus]

What's really scary is that people are now going to start taking Dean's comments about Bush (and by implication, all other Republicans) being "anti-science" seriously, instead of being another of his moonbat ravings.

I'm one of those people. I'm sorry, but the evidence on this forum alone is overwhelming. It may not be true of Bush, but it appears to be true of Frist and many Republicans.

[Doctor Stochastic]

It's called raising the bar. First the creationists deny that speciation takes place; they when shown it does; they demand large jumps. (This should be taught in school though.)

[Saundra Duffy]

I don't care what Frist thinks about anything. He lost me a long time ago.

[syriacus]

what exactly is a scientific study of prayer?

Great question.

Here's a recent article. ....

The healing power of prayer? By Alice Dembner The Boston Globe, THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2005

You might like the article

So...in which HS class do students discuss this article?

[Once-Ler]

Too many 'people of faith' think that refusing to allow them to control every aspect of the society is 'antagonism'.

Speaking as one of the majority of Americans who believe religion can be a powerful force for a healthy society, I think that refusing to allow faith any control over aspects of the society is 'antagonism.' From my point of view in the last 50 years faith has been regulated out of almost all influence in education, employment and government.

It is good to see the political trend moving towards faith friendly government.

[Doctor Stochastic]

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...

[Doctor Stochastic]

Isaac Newton also rejected the idea of trinity as absurd.

[Borges]

The power of positive thinking? A truly new and radical scientific discovery! /sarc

I would say that belongs in a psychology class.

[NJ_gent]

"First the creationists deny that speciation takes place; they when shown it does; they demand large jumps."

Actually, they demand that which the ToE and a hundred years of science says is impossible to prove to them that the ToE and science are valid.

The sheer illogic of their arguments is enough to make a Vulcan's head explode.

[Borges]

/From my point of view in the last 50 years faith has been regulated out of almost all influence in education, employment and government.

Exactly what 'influence' do you think faith should have in employment and goverment?

[Doctor Stochastic]

Science requires no necessity for a natural explanation.

Wrong. Science is by definition limited to natural explanations. That's what science does. Of course, astrology, scientology, post-modernism, creationism, are all equivalent in their anti-science stance. None belong in a science classroom.

[Mylo]

NO TAKERS?

Come on...

Two simple questions....

1) How successful have supernatural explanations been in observing and predicting the universe and settling issues of factual disagreement?

2) How many scientific theories are dependent upon an unquantifiable and unknowable power that is impossible to observe or predict?

[AdmSmith]

So...in which HS class do students discuss this article?

I do not think that they discuss it.

[WildTurkey]

The theory of intelligent design

The creos have AP repeating the falsehood! We are all doomed!