Posted on 09/29/2005 3:36:00 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- The concept of "intelligent design" is a form of creationism and is not based on scientific method, a professor testified Wednesday in a trial over whether the idea should be taught in public schools.
Robert T. Pennock, a professor of science and philosophy at Michigan State University, testified on behalf of families who sued the Dover Area School District. He said supporters of intelligent design don't offer evidence to support their idea.
"As scientists go about their business, they follow a method," Pennock said. "Intelligent design wants to reject that and so it doesn't really fall within the purview of science."
Pennock said intelligent design does not belong in a science class, but added that it could possibly be addressed in other types of courses.
In October 2004, the Dover school board voted 6-3 to require teachers to read a brief statement about intelligent design to students before classes on evolution. The statement says Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection is "not a fact" and has inexplicable "gaps," and refers students to an intelligent-design textbook for more information.
Proponents of intelligent design argue that life on Earth was the product of an unidentified intelligent force, and that natural selection cannot fully explain the origin of life or the emergence of highly complex life forms.
Eight families are trying to have intelligent design removed from the curriculum, arguing that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state. They say it promotes the Bible's view of creation.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for two newspaper reporters said Wednesday the presiding judge has agreed to limit questioning of the reporters, averting a legal showdown over having them testify in the case.
Both reporters wrote stories that said board members mentioned creationism as they discussed the intelligent design issue. Board members have denied that.
U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III agreed that the reporters would only have to verify the content of their stories -- and not answer questions about unpublished material, possible bias or the use of any confidential sources.
"They're testifying only as to what they wrote," said Niles Benn, attorney for The York Dispatch and the York Daily Record/Sunday News, the papers that employed the two freelancers.
The reporters were subpoenaed but declined to give depositions Tuesday, citing their First Amendment rights. A lawyer for the school board had said he planned to seek contempt citations against the two.
The judge's order clears the way for the reporters to provide depositions and testify Oct. 6.
"Math isn't science?"
By itself, math is not science. Science uses math as a tool, but math itself is not science.
Oh, and the carbon dating stuff, there is alot more to prove it nothing more than a wild guess besides William Tripp's summary. It's just plain wrong. I didn't get around to posting any of it because the personal attacks started flowing from all you "mature" people.
If you want, I'll go step bystep and show you the error of your ways re #211 when i get home.
Ta-ta for now boys and girls.
His response to #211, point by point, after he 'get's home', may make that decision easier.
Patrick, if he does, you've got to include this in the List-O-Links!
Nathan, I don't think you realize just how many people you are entertaining right now. Thanks!
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Oceanic shellfish apparently recycle old carbon that hasn't been near the atmosphere in forever. Thus, the carbon indeed tends to be "old."
That is correct. See the Marine Reservoir Correction Database.
Shellfish can be readily calibrated by dating pre-bomb specimens and establishing a calibration curve.
However, the problem with live organisms still exists and renders recent samples unreliable. Even with the Marine Database I would not trust samples more recent than World War II.
It'll be a cut 'n paste dump from some creationoid website.
Yeah, but the entertainment value alone makes this Must-See TV!
If you want,
Nathan, just in case you need to be explicitly solicited, I want you to respond to #211, step by step.
Its on the ASA (American Scientific Affiliation) website which is dedicated to:
Science in Christian Perspective The American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) is a fellowship of men and women in science and disciplines that relate to science who share a common fidelity to the Word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science.
Its actually a pretty good article, I enjoyed it and bookmarked it. (Thanks to whoever it was that posted that link earlier on this thread.)
Anyway, I think you probably have another addition to your famous List-O-Links coming.
Whales am not a "completely unique" (as in there's only one) species
If I go out tonight, will you all promise me that the rebuttal will be here when I get back in the morning? I do not want to cancel my plans, and I'm sure it'll seem doubly funny later seeing as I'll probably be not at all sober.
Do not mess up this thread, it is classic, it is perfect
Thanks to whoever it was that posted that link earlier on this thread.
I think it was Mr. Doctor Stochastic.
Try real hard to take care of your brain, the thread will hold its own.
I think that particular Creationist "problems with Darwinism" claim references freshwater shellfish living in limestone rock pools.
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I think that particular Creationist "problems with Darwinism" claim references freshwater shellfish living in limestone rock pools.
Limestone will do it. So will coal, asphaltum (tar), or bitumin. Lots of other things we have to watch out for. Its not rocket science but we do have to be careful in sample selection.
Marine shellfish ingest old deep-water carbon, but we can check our calibration and Delta-R by comparing shellfish and carbon from the exact same proveniences. That lets us be quite accurate.
I was thinking of the detailed refutation that was promised for later tonight.
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