Posted on 10/06/2005 6:13:37 AM PDT by Junior
HARRISBURG, Pa. - References to creationism in drafts of a student biology book were replaced with the term "intelligent design" by the time it was published, a witness testified Wednesday in a landmark trial over a school board's decision to include the concept in its curriculum.
Drafts of the textbook, "Of Pandas and People," written in 1987 were revised after the Supreme Court ruled in June of that year that states could not require schools to balance evolution with creationism in the classroom, said Barbara Forrest, a philosophy professor at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Forrest reviewed drafts of the textbook as a witness for eight families who are trying to have the intelligent design concept removed from the Dover Area School District's biology curriculum.
The families contend that teaching intelligent design effectively promotes the Bible's view of creation, violating the separation of church and state.
Intelligent design holds that life on Earth is so complex that it must have been the product of some higher force. Opponents of the concept say intelligent design is simply creationism stripped of overt religious references.
Forrest outlined a chart of how many times the term "creation" was mentioned in the early drafts versus how many times the term "design" was mentioned in the published edition.
"They are virtually synonymous," she said.
Under the policy approved by Dover's school board in October 2004, students must hear a brief statement about intelligent design before classes on evolution. The statement says Charles Darwin's theory is "not a fact" and has inexplicable "gaps."
Forrest also said that intelligent-design proponents have freely acknowledged that their cause is a religious one. She cited a document from the Discovery Institute, a Seattle-based think tank that represents intelligent-design scholars, that says one of its goals is "to replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and human beings are created by God."
Under cross-examination by school board lawyer Richard Thompson, Forrest acknowledged that she had no evidence that board members who voted for the curriculum change had either seen or heard of the Discovery Institute document.
The trial began Sept. 26 and is expected to last as long as five weeks.
But, but, I thought ID wasn't about religion?
:)
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A Grand Master ping.
That is what the trial is about, whether ID implies religion.
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"ID itself is agnostic about the specific religion..."
Tell that to the proponents of ID.
"References to creationism in drafts of a student biology book were replaced with the term "intelligent design" by the time it was published."
That, of course, is 99 yards short of the goal line on fourth down.
The official line is that ID doesn't even specify a religion. It could have been aliens, etc. This is in an effort to be accepted as science.
In any case, however much smoke you blow, any intelligent person knows which god you're talking about. There is no way that the Discovery Institute will accept that the designer is really the Invisible Pink Unicorn (PBUHH).
Do they think they can get past St Peter with a dishonest sneaky underhanded trick like that?
Intelligent design holds that life on Earth is so complex that it must have been the product of some higher force.
Say that three times in a row and try to tell me with a straight face it doesn't sound dumber each time you repeat it!
Not all on the "evolution side" do this, of course -- I've found on many threads that it's quite possible to have a great discussion on the scientific merits/problems of a design hypothesis, and also the underlying assumptions that permit or rule out such a hypothesis.
However, there are also those (one might call them "evolutionists" to denote their ideological stance) whose views are informed at least in part by an antipathy toward religion. This ideological approach causes them to build the strawman you've mentioned. It's much easier to fight a strawman.
Ironically, the rabid "evolutionists" and "creationists" are very similar in their tactics and approach. Both sides seem to view the other as a direct threat to their faiths, and seem completely unable to acknowledge the merits of the opposing position.
ID is creationism in a lab coat, lying about what it is and what it is up to.
Other than forcing biologists and science writers to sharpen up their arguments, what has ID contributed in the way of actual science?
Thanks for the ping!
This is a placeholder post. I have no time at this moment to join the thread, but certainly will at a later time today.
It's so nice to have our daily discussion. I always wonder what new revelations will appear. So far, I'm still wondering.
Diversity of thought, that's what ID allows for. There's the Invisible Pink Unicorn proponents who I respect, then there's my faction: The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (blessed be his noodly appendages).
Because after all if you posit design without defining the designer, it's little different (and just as provable) as any superstitious belief.
Excuse me now, I have to go sacrifice a goat to the Rain God for clear skys this weekend, just in case.
Bookmark noted, MineralMan! I look forward to your comments!
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