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Academics fight rise of creationism at universities [UK]
Gaurdian ^ | 2/21/06 | Duncan Campbell

Posted on 02/21/2006 10:29:55 AM PST by mathprof

· More students believe Darwin got it wrong

· Royal Society challenges 'insidious problem'

A growing number of science students on British campuses and in sixth form colleges are challenging the theory of evolution and arguing that Darwin was wrong. Some are being failed in university exams because they quote sayings from the Bible or Qur'an as scientific fact and at one sixth form college in London most biology students are now thought to be creationists.

Earlier this month Muslim medical students in London distributed leaflets that dismissed Darwin's theories as false. Evangelical Christian students are also increasingly vocal in challenging the notion of evolution.

In the United States there is growing pressure to teach creationism or "intelligent design" in science classes, despite legal rulings against it. Now similar trends in this country have prompted the Royal Society, Britain's leading scientific academy, to confront the issue head on with a talk entitled Why Creationism is Wrong. The award-winning geneticist and author Steve Jones will deliver the lecture and challenge creationists, Christian and Islamic, to argue their case rationally at the society's event in April.

"There is an insidious and growing problem," said Professor Jones, of University College London. "It's a step back from rationality. They (the creationists) don't have a problem with science, they have a problem with argument. And irrationality is a very infectious disease as we see from the United States."

(Excerpt) Read more at education.guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: allahdooditamen; creationism; crevolist; darwinism; highereducation; idiocyintheuk; soupmyth
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An interesting article regardless of what your views are on creationism/darwinism.
1 posted on 02/21/2006 10:29:58 AM PST by mathprof
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To: mathprof

Looks like the fight will continue for the foreseeable future.


2 posted on 02/21/2006 10:31:46 AM PST by mlc9852
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To: mathprof
And irrationality is a very infectious disease as we see from the United States

Typical Darwin-cultist response.

3 posted on 02/21/2006 10:32:11 AM PST by wideawake
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To: mathprof

How in the world could the land that gave us Monty Python, Benny Hill, Mr. Bean and Prince Charles glom onto Creationism?

Oh, Wait. Seems the Brits like silly rubbish.


4 posted on 02/21/2006 10:33:35 AM PST by orionblamblam (A furore Normannorum libra nos, Domine)
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To: mathprof
Darwin's theories...theories equals faith in this case. I see no difference between the two "arguments" except that most universities are members of the Darwin Church of Evolution.
5 posted on 02/21/2006 10:36:07 AM PST by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: mathprof

God did it! Darwin just tried to explain how!


6 posted on 02/21/2006 10:39:32 AM PST by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: mathprof

Why would you take biology if you're not interested in science?


7 posted on 02/21/2006 10:39:32 AM PST by Canard
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To: Canard
Why would you take biology if you're not interested in science?

Perhaps it is a required course...

8 posted on 02/21/2006 10:43:44 AM PST by mathprof
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To: mathprof
Perhaps it is a required course...

Of what use would someone have of a degree that requires a subject they believe is wrong?

9 posted on 02/21/2006 10:56:59 AM PST by Antonello (Oh my God, don't shoot the banana!)
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To: Canard

Perhaps because most of the science of biology is descriptive, rather than speculative, and actually useful.


10 posted on 02/21/2006 10:56:59 AM PST by RBroadfoot
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To: mathprof
===> Placemarker <=== and

PatrickHenry's List-O-Links.

11 posted on 02/21/2006 10:59:22 AM PST by Coyoteman (I love the sound of beta decay in the morning!)
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To: mathprof
The push to keep non-science out of science classes might be a mistake in the long run.

I think the proper response might be to bring up the "scientific" arguments of Behe and others and demonstrate why they don't work. Even Behe recently had to admit that common ancestry is a fact.

Evolution can't operate on defense alone. A little offense is in order.

12 posted on 02/21/2006 11:15:06 AM PST by narby (Hillary! The Wicked Witch of the Left)
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To: mathprof
Earlier this month Muslim medical students in London distributed leaflets that dismissed Darwin's theories as false. Evangelical Christian students are also increasingly vocal in challenging the notion of evolution.

A religious wacko is a religious wacko is a religious wacko . . . The different labels they claim are meaningless.

13 posted on 02/21/2006 11:31:00 AM PST by GovernmentShrinker
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To: Antonello

"Of what use would someone have of a degree that requires a subject they believe is wrong?"

Most of the "science" classes I heard of tended to teach METHODS and presented theory that they supported; the students were then presumed to be able to go out and prove, advance or disprove both those methods and the theory or seek out practical applications.

After eleven years' study and thirty years' experience as an engineer, I still can't prove that a bumblebee violates every rule of flight I learned, but the bastards were still flying around the last time I looked and I am not about to turn in my degrees because of that trifle.

IMHO, somebody in academia needs to figure out the difference between science and dictum (religious or due to political correctness).


14 posted on 02/21/2006 12:27:11 PM PST by Unrepentant VN Vet ("Antique" MSM infers some remaining functionality; I think they've become Zombies.)
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To: Unrepentant VN Vet
Exactly what rules of flight do bumblebees violate, anyway? I've always heard that but never could get anyone to tell me the specifics.
15 posted on 02/21/2006 1:01:50 PM PST by Antonello (Oh my God, don't shoot the banana!)
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To: VadeRetro; Junior; longshadow; RadioAstronomer; Doctor Stochastic; js1138; Shryke; RightWhale; ...
Evolution Ping

The List-O-Links
A conservative, pro-evolution science list, now with over 350 names.
See the list's explanation, then FReepmail to be added or dropped.
To assist beginners: But it's "just a theory", Evo-Troll's Toolkit,
and How to argue against a scientific theory.

16 posted on 02/21/2006 1:11:05 PM PST by PatrickHenry (Virtual Ignore for trolls, lunatics, dotards, scolds, & incurable ignoramuses.)
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To: TXBubba

"Darwin's theories...theories equals faith in this case."

No, they really don't. :)


17 posted on 02/21/2006 1:13:23 PM PST by CarolinaGuitarman ("There is grandeur in this view of life...")
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To: Antonello

The "rule" seems to be that a bumblebee cannot fly were its wings rigid. However, bumblebees have flexible wings. (They don't glide too well though.)


18 posted on 02/21/2006 1:29:14 PM PST by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch ist der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: mathprof

Evolutionismoid is, at best, speculation.

It is also anti-Christian and anti-Western European Culture.

Beware the enemy within!


19 posted on 02/21/2006 1:32:26 PM PST by TheBrotherhood (Tancredo for President.)
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To: TXBubba

"Darwin's theories...theories equals faith in this case."

I agree. It's nothing more than belief and dogma.

There is nothing theoretical about evolutionismoid and those who make us believe that they believe in its precepts are a bunch of loonies.


20 posted on 02/21/2006 1:35:21 PM PST by TheBrotherhood (Tancredo for President.)
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