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Denying Evolution Is Denying Biology
NY Times ^ | 2/2/04

Posted on 02/02/2004 5:58:33 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

I have always been amazed at the ability of the Christian right to bully educators into diluting the teaching of evolution and promoting so-called creation science in public school classrooms. I suspect that part of the reason for this is a misappreciation of the importance of evolution by the general public.

Evolution is not an isolated concept that can be expediently omitted from a high-school biology syllabus. Rather, it is the single unifying concept of modern biology. It unites all areas of biology, from ecology to physiology to biochemistry and beyond. Without it, students are denied a framework to understand how these different areas are related and interdependent.

Can you imagine asking a physics teacher to cover everything except Newton's laws?

Maybe soon a small group of reactionaries will persuade a school board to teach students that apples do not fall to earth because of gravity, but because of some mystical phenomenon that can neither be studied nor understood. ALBERT E. PRICE

New Haven, Jan. 30, 2004

The writer is a research fellow, department of cell biology, Yale University School of Medicine.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: crevolist; education; evolution
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To: templar
...we now believe that what is true today need not be true tomorrow (morally, ethically, legally, politically).

Sort of like the laws in Leviticus?

81 posted on 02/02/2004 9:03:30 AM PST by js1138
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To: Blessed
And that contradictory evidence would be...
82 posted on 02/02/2004 9:04:22 AM PST by js1138
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To: ml/nj
Newton's Laws do not apply in all situations. Quantum mechanics and relativity apply on the very small and the very large scale.
83 posted on 02/02/2004 9:04:49 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Without it [evolution], students are denied a framework to understand how these different areas are related and interdependent.

They should say, "without it, students are denied a SECULAR HUMANIST ATHEISTIC framework..."

84 posted on 02/02/2004 9:06:16 AM PST by exmarine ( sic semper tyrannis)
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To: ZULU
An issue between people who choose to interpret the Bible in a literal word for word sense, ignoring all scientific proofs to the contrary and people who choose to reconcile scientific fact with religious doctrine.

There are many of those on the evolution side who are just as guilty of treating evolution as religious doctrine. That's what I object to. This belief that believing in evolution is neccessary to understand any aspect of Biology is a religion, IMHO.

85 posted on 02/02/2004 9:07:23 AM PST by Always Right
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To: Sloth
No more than relativity is to astrophysics.

Unless you unerstand the evolution of species you can't reallty comprehend zoogeography, systematics, genetics, or a host of other biological disciplines.
86 posted on 02/02/2004 9:07:27 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: DJtex
I think that this theory is better taught and debated as a theory--that makes it stronger and more immediate. And it's not necessary to believe in it to get a good education. It's just not easy to get a good education without even having been exposed to it.

That's the problem...they don't allow debate on it! It's a SACRED COW to the high priests of evolution and it's TABOO to question it.

In fact, there is a veritable atheistic monopoly on origins within our public schools and government. Atheism is the offical religion of the United States of America.

87 posted on 02/02/2004 9:09:01 AM PST by exmarine ( sic semper tyrannis)
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To: js1138
Something like that.
88 posted on 02/02/2004 9:09:27 AM PST by templar
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To: Stellar Dendrite
Your comments are so utterly incomprehensible to an educated and intelligent person that I don't even know where to begin to respond.

The continual droning of "Creationists" (better termed Biblical Literalists") about evolution and equating it with atheism, liberalism, and communism is like liberals screaming McCarthyism at people who identified Communist agents in the 1950's.
89 posted on 02/02/2004 9:10:28 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: PatrickHenry
Darwin Day is approaching

http://www.darwinday.org/

Darwin Day is February 12th, the date of birth of Charles Darwin in the year 1809, at Shrewsbury, England. On this date, and throughout the month, people from all over the world are honoring the life, work and influence of Charles Darwin with events and activities which celebrate science and our shared humanity.

Join in the events and celebrate the adventure of science, and the 'passion to know' that drives us to inquire, explore, and discover what this world is all about.
90 posted on 02/02/2004 9:11:07 AM PST by AdmSmith
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Evolution is not an isolated concept that can be expediently omitted from a high-school biology syllabus. Rather, it is the single unifying concept of modern biology. It unites all areas of biology, from ecology to physiology to biochemistry and beyond. Without it, students are denied a framework to understand how these different areas are related and interdependent.

Completely, totally false.

I have a B.S. with honors in Biology, and an M.D., and I specialize in Clinical Microbiology.

Biology, like all sciences, is not a catalog of facts or concepts. Biology, like all sciences, is a system of testing facts or concepts.

Microevolution occurs every day, is trivial to test, and withstands any possible challenge.

Macroevolution (Darwinism) has never been demonstrated, is probably untestable, and is subject to many criticisms.

Screeds like this one from the Yale research fellow are expressions of religious belief, not science.

91 posted on 02/02/2004 9:11:12 AM PST by Jim Noble (Now you go feed those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia!)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
It amazes me that a person with a 'doctorate' degree tries to compare apples to oranges. No one disputes the factual scientific characteristics of gravity. The question is, WHY would he compare a scientic fact with an unproven theory? That crocodille fossil found several years back (whose impression matches exactly of a crocodile of today) which scientists say predates dinosaurs by a couple hundred million years, must not have brought to mind: "Just how long does this evolution thingy take before we have a positive link or a scientific fact?"
92 posted on 02/02/2004 9:13:22 AM PST by moonman
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To: Blessed
The problem is that both creationist and evolutionist accept micro evolution because it is provable.The evolutionist then make the faith leap to macro evolution which has not been proven by history or experiment.I accept evolution as a editing process but it does not involve creation.

I agree. The operative phrase here is LEAP OF FAITH. Macro evolution is being taught as a RELIGION. To question this religion is a mortal sin against this FALSE GOD.
93 posted on 02/02/2004 9:14:21 AM PST by Mother Mary
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To: Stellar Dendrite
There are hosts of transitional forms in the geological record.

Is this author by questioning their failure to survive into modern times an indication that evolution didn't occur? Or he is questioning the fact that these transitional forms ever existed? Is he maintaining they are modern forgeries created by imaginative evolutionists?

The fact that this individual studied evolution then assumed that it postulates the non-existance of God demonstrates his total lack of intelligence.
94 posted on 02/02/2004 9:15:30 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: Jim Noble
Screeds like this one from the Yale research fellow are expressions of religious belief, not science.

Yep, but they certainly disguise it as science.

95 posted on 02/02/2004 9:16:46 AM PST by Always Right
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To: Conspiracy Guy
"However denying evolution is not denying biology. I do not deny evolution unless someone intends to suggest that it is the origin of life. I can't believe in that much randomness. I am a creavolutionist myself."

God is the origin of all life. Evolution is the mechanics he used to create it.
96 posted on 02/02/2004 9:17:51 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: Always Right
I know there was this guy name Einstein who believed in devine intervention.

Einstein famously said that the more he studied the workings of nature, the more profoundly he was drawn to the idea of God as the Ultimate Cause. This is more like theism than it is like the Hebraic meddling God. Please point me to an Einstein quote that shows he believed in "devine intervention".

97 posted on 02/02/2004 9:20:56 AM PST by donh
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To: Always Right
I believe in divine Intervention. God intervened to create a Universe out of nothing and establish the biological, chemical and physical laws which resulted in the world around us, us, and all life.

Belief in evolution does not negate belief in either God or the Bible, although SOME evolutionists would think this way, just as some atheists probably don't believe in evolution either - for reasons having nothing at all to do with the Bible, God, or religion.

You still haven't given me an example of a well known biologist who doesn't believe in evolution. You can't for the simple reason that all serious biologists believe in evolution as all serious physicists believe in Quatum Mechanics, and all serious Chemistists believe in Boyle's Law.
98 posted on 02/02/2004 9:22:06 AM PST by ZULU (GOD BLESS SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY!!!)
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To: PatrickHenry
Thanks for the ping!
99 posted on 02/02/2004 9:23:00 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: templar
I believe in absolutes, not changing (evolving) 'truths'.

You may be right. I'll contend, however, that our ability to comprehend those truths is quite limited. This may explain your observed "changing" truths. Trial and error.

100 posted on 02/02/2004 9:23:17 AM PST by Shryke
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