Posted on 04/13/2006 6:51:19 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
A statement opposing the misrepresentation of evolution in schools to promote particular religious beliefs was published today (11 April 2006) by the Royal Society, the UK national academy of science.
The statement points out that evolution is "recognised as the best explanation for the development of life on Earth from its beginnings and for the diversity of species" and that it is "rightly taught as an essential part of biology and science courses in schools, colleges and universities across the world".
It concludes: "Science has proved enormously successful in advancing our understanding of the world, and young people are entitled to learn about scientific knowledge, including evolution. They also have a right to learn how science advances, and that there are, of course, many things that science cannot yet explain. Some may wish to explore the compatibility, or otherwise, of science with various beliefs, and they should be encouraged to do so. However, young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs."
Professor David Read, Vice-President of the Royal Society, said: "We felt that it would be timely to publish a clear statement on evolution, creationism and intelligent design as there continues to be controversy about them in the UK and other countries. The Royal Society fully supports questioning and debate in science lessons, as long as it is not designed to undermine young people's confidence in the value of scientific evidence. But there have been a number of media reports, particularly relating to an academy in north-east England, which have highlighted some confusion among young people, parents, teachers and scientists about how our education system allows the promotion of creationist beliefs in relation to scientific knowledge. Our Government is pursuing a flexible education system, but it should also be able to ensure and demonstrate that young people in maintained schools or academies are not taught that the scientific evidence supports creationism and intelligent design in the way that it supports evolution."
The Royal Society statement acknowledges that many people both believe in a creator and accept the scientific evidence for how the universe and life on Earth developed. But it indicates that "some versions of creationism are incompatible with the scientific evidence".
It states: "For instance, a belief that all species on Earth have always existed in their present form is not consistent with the wealth of evidence for evolution, such as the fossil record. Similarly, a belief that the Earth was formed in 4004 BC is not consistent with the evidence from geology, astronomy and physics that the solar system, including Earth, formed about 4600 million years ago."
The Royal Society statement emphasises that evolution is important to the understanding of many medical and agricultural challenges: It states: "The process of evolution can be seen in action today, for example in the development of resistance to antibiotics in disease-causing bacteria, of resistance to pesticides by insect pests, and the rapid evolution of viruses that are responsible for influenza and AIDS. Darwin's theory of evolution helps us to understand these problems and to find solutions to them."
The statement also criticises attempts to present intelligent design as being based on scientific evidence: "Its supporters make only selective reference to the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports evolution, and treats gaps in current knowledge which, as in all areas of science, certainly exist as if they were evidence for a designer'. In this respect, intelligent design has far more in common with a religious belief in creationism than it has with science, which is based on evidence acquired through experiment and observation. The theory of evolution is supported by the weight of scientific evidence; the theory of intelligent design is not."
The statement is published ahead of a public lecture today at the Royal Society by Professor Steve Jones on Why evolution is right and creationism is wrong'. The text of the statement follows.
April 2006
The Royal Society was founded in 1660 by a group of scholars whose desire was to promote an understanding of ourselves and the universe through experiment and observation. This approach to the acquisition of knowledge forms the basis of the scientific method, which involves the testing of theories against observational evidence. It has led to major advances of understanding over more than 300 years. Although there is still much left to be discovered, we now have a broad knowledge of how the universe developed after the 'Big Bang' and of how humans and other species appeared on Earth.
One of the most important advances in our knowledge has been the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Since being proposed by Charles Darwin nearly 150 years ago, the theory of evolution has been supported by a mounting body of scientific evidence. Today it is recognised as the best explanation for the development of life on Earth from its beginnings and for the diversity of species. Evolution is rightly taught as an essential part of biology and science courses in schools, colleges and universities across the world.
The process of evolution can be seen in action today, for example in the development of resistance to antibiotics in disease-causing bacteria, of resistance to pesticides by insect pests, and the rapid evolution of viruses that are responsible for influenza and AIDS. Darwin's theory of evolution helps us to understand these problems and to find solutions to them.
Many other explanations, some of them based on religious belief, have been offered for the development of life on Earth, and the existence of a 'creator' is fundamental to many religions. Many people both believe in a creator and accept the scientific evidence for how the universe, and life on Earth, developed. Creationism is a belief that may be taught as part of religious education in schools, colleges and universities. Creationism may also be taught in some science classes to demonstrate the difference between theories, such as evolution, that are based on scientific evidence, and beliefs, such as creationism, that are based on faith.
However, some versions of creationism are incompatible with the scientific evidence. For instance, a belief that all species on Earth have always existed in their present form is not consistent with the wealth of evidence for evolution, such as the fossil record. Similarly, a belief that the Earth was formed in 4004 BC is not consistent with the evidence from geology, astronomy and physics that the solar system, including Earth, formed about 4600 million years ago.
Some proponents of an alternative explanation for the diversity of life on Earth now claim that their theories are based on scientific evidence. One such view is presented as the theory of intelligent design. This proposes that some species are too complex to have evolved through natural selection and that therefore life on Earth must be the product of a 'designer'. Its supporters make only selective reference to the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports evolution, and treat gaps in current knowledge which, as in all areas of science, certainly exist - as if they were evidence for a 'designer'. In this respect, intelligent design has far more in common with a religious belief in creationism than it has with science, which is based on evidence acquired through experiment and observation. The theory of evolution is supported by the weight of scientific evidence; the theory of intelligent design is not.
Science has proved enormously successful in advancing our understanding of the world, and young people are entitled to learn about scientific knowledge, including evolution. They also have a right to learn how science advances, and that there are, of course, many things that science cannot yet explain. Some may wish to explore the compatibility, or otherwise, of science with various religious beliefs, and they should be encouraged to do so. However, young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs.
The Lord created the Earth? Could he not have also created bones to test your faith? Think Job. :)
People can and do have varying ideas about the Creator, the Designer, or lack thereof...and church, the home, with family and friends, is the appropriate place to discuss this....or in elective educational course, which address this issue...
My main objection to both ID and creationism, is that their proponents want those taught in public school...and that is where I dont agree...
I have saved your article on time, and will read it when time allows...unlike many others, I actually do save articles and do read them...when time does allow...
Justice is a wonderful thing when one is himself protected by mercy. Most likely the bliss mentioned in this hymn does not refer to pleasure in punishment heaped upon others, but to relief from woes that attend to this mortal life.
If the public were comprised solely of people who believe intelligent design has nothing to do with organized matter that performs specific functions, then frogs would have wings. As it stands, there are many such people who pay taxes for public schools, and the government is forbidden to prevent such ideas and teachings even if they happen to have religious implications; even if they happen to be "public."
I disagree with the notion of public schools altogether, but as long as they're there, they by law must be open to religious points of view, even when such views happen to impinge upon the sciences.
I hope you are not going to get into where I think you are going....because this has been discussed before on FR
Here is what I have said on other threads....
I have acquaintances, who do not believe that dinosaurs ever, ever existed...they tell me, with a straight face, that the devil put those bones there to deceive man...
Or if that argument does not fly, they will then lapse into their second line story, which is that God himself put those dinosaur bones there to either, a. play a joke on man...b.devise a special secret plan to trick man, thus all those falling for the trick are to be condemned by God...
And then there are those who will tell me that the people in the Bible, actually lived and worked and survived living side by side with herds of great dinosaurs...
Just tune into the Creation Network(which states that one of its purposes is to convince us and prove to us that evolution is a lie)one of these days, and watch and listen as the speaker takes us through a 'wee walk through history', as he puts it...he will show us how the Leviathan in Job, was really a monstrous sea serpent, exactly mirroring one of the monsters whose bones have been found..then he will regale us with tales from people long gone, who have written dinosaurs into their peoples tales, these dinosaurs being very real, not myths...
He will show us slides of art work from different peoples, which show artistic renderings of dinosaurs, which proves dinosaurs exist(does this man think that because most people who draw space aliens which ressemble each other, that somehow proves space aliens are real?)
And then he goes on to tell us that the tale of Beowulf, was not just a 'tale', but an actual factual historic rendering of some sort of dragon or dinosaur living side by side with man...
Nothing you can say, will be something I have not heard already...and discounted...
* The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."
* Lucas denies having invented darkness. But they still claim the "sudden, unexpected darkness"
* Lucas is the patent holder for the short circuit.
* Lucas - Inventor of the first intermittent wiper.
* Lucas - Inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.
* The three position Lucas switch - Dim, Flicker and Off. And sometimes - Smoke, Smolder and Burn.
* Lucas Electrics - The Original Anti-Theft Device.
* If Lucas made guns, wars would not start either.
* It's not true that Lucas tried to get Parliament to repeal Ohm's Law.
* Did you hear the one about the guy that peeked into a Land Rover and asked the owner "How can you tell one switch from another at night, as they all look the same ?" "He replied, it does not matter which one you use, nothing happens !"
* Back in the 70's, Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which did not suck.
-- Former Triumph & MG Owner
I have an objection to any child or relative of mine, being taught a religious viewpoint in public school, a religious viewpoint, that may be in complete conflict with my own religious viewpoint..tho this is a matter of a religious point of view impinging on science, its also a clear matter of a particular religious viewpoint impinging upon a completely different religious viewpoint...
If anyone wants their children to be taught religious viewpoints in school, there is a vast network of private schools which will be glad to do this very thing....and dont whine about it will cost money...I sent my boys to private school, not for religious reasons, but because I found the public schools horrible(and this was in the late 1970s and 1980s)...we did not make big salaries, we were just ordinary working folks, but we found it way to make it happen, because it was important to us...if we found a way to finance our childrens private school experience, anyone can do it...
How did he lie? He did not create the Theory of Evolution.
All religious points of view, Fester, or just yours?
No need to reply; we already know the answer.
This is exactly the Scripture that the fellow on the Creation Network was talking about...so lets say, its the actual description of a particular known animal...does that do anything to discredit evolution?....no it does not...it is God, saying that He created a certain animal...it does not say when, nor does it say how, this creation took place...
Evolution as the force of Creation, is a wondrous thing, as far as I can see...God created evolution as His means of creating all living things..I know you dont ascribe to this, but I do...
Nothing you have cited in Job, does any damage to evolution...
Read more of my stuff. I am always looking for a chain to pull. Newton may have been religious, but he was a heretic.
LOL! From the owner of two MG-Bs, which I loved dearly.
You did state that God could create bones(I assume you mean dinosaur bones)to test our faith...I would agree, that would be deceiving us...and that is something that I know, God would not do...
ET: How did he[sic] lie? He did not create the Theory of Evolution.
Can you prove He didn't inspire Charles Darwin?
This is exactly the point...whose religious point of view should a public school teach?...none, as far as I am concerned...There are many religions, which I find incorrect, untrue, and some just plain dangerous...should they also be taught in public school? What about the next guy...everyone has strong objections to certain religions, where do we draw the line?
Its only your opinion that God did not create Evolution...millions of Christians would agree with you, but millions more would disagree with you...
Job 40:15-19
Looks like the behemoth is right next to Job.
Actual designers know that the process of design involves starting with existing ideas and techniques, twiddling with them, erasing most of your work, and allowing the marketplace to erase most of the rest.
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