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AAAS Board Resolution Urges Opposition to "Intelligent Design" Theory in U.S. Science Classes
AAAS ^ | November 6, 2002 | Ginger Pinholster

Posted on 11/07/2002 7:07:47 PM PST by Nebullis

The AAAS Board recently passed a resolution urging policymakers to oppose teaching "Intelligent Design Theory" within science classrooms, but rather, to keep it separate, in the same way that creationism and other religious teachings are currently handled.

"The United States has promised that no child will be left behind in the classroom," said Alan I. Leshner, CEO and executive publisher for AAAS. "If intelligent design theory is presented within science courses as factually based, it is likely to confuse American schoolchildren and to undermine the integrity of U.S. science education."

American society supports and encourages a broad range of viewpoints, Leshner noted. While this diversity enriches the educational experience for students, he added, science-based information and conceptual belief systems should not be presented together.

Peter H. Raven, chairman of the AAAS Board of Directors, agreed:

"The ID movement argues that random mutation in nature and natural selection can't explain the diversity of life forms or their complexity and that these things may be explained only by an extra-natural intelligent agent," said Raven, Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. "This is an interesting philosophical or theological concept, and some people have strong feelings about it. Unfortunately, it's being put forth as a scientifically based alternative to the theory of biological evolution. Intelligent design theory has so far not been supported by peer-reviewed, published evidence."

In contrast, the theory of biological evolution is well-supported, and not a "disputed view" within the scientific community, as some ID proponents have suggested, for example, through "disclaimer" stickers affixed to textbooks in Cobb County, Georgia.

"The contemporary theory of biological evolution is one of the most robust products of scientific inquiry," the AAAS Board of Directors wrote in a resolution released today. "AAAS urges citizens across the nation to oppose the establishment of policies that would permit the teaching of `intelligent design theory' as a part of the science curriculum of the public schools."

The AAAS Board resolved to oppose claims that intelligent design theory is scientifically based, in response to a number of recent ID-related threats to public science education.

In Georgia, for example, the Cobb County District School Board decided in March this year to affix stickers to science textbooks, telling students that "evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things." Following a lawsuit filed August 21 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, the school board on September 26 modified its policy statement, but again described evolution as a "disputed view" that must be "balanced" in the classroom, taking into account other family teachings. The exact impact of the amended school board policy in Cobb County classrooms remains unclear.

A similar challenge is underway in Ohio, where the state's education board on October 14 passed a unanimous, though preliminary vote to keep ID theory out of the state's science classrooms. But, their ruling left the door open for local school districts to present ID theory together with science, and suggested that scientists should "continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory." In fact, even while the state-level debate continued, the Patrick Henry Local School District, based in Columbus, passed a motion this June to support "the idea of intelligent design being included as appropriate in classroom discussions in addition to other scientific theories."

The Ohio State Education Board is inviting further public comment through November. In December, board members will vote to conclusively determine whether alternatives to evolution should be included in new guidelines that spell out what students need to know about science at different grade levels. Meanwhile, ID theorists have reportedly been active in Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico, New Jersey, and other states, as well Ohio and Georgia.

While asking policymakers to oppose the teaching of ID theory within science classes, the AAAS also called on its 272 affiliated societies, its members, and the public to promote fact-based, standards-based science education for American schoolchildren.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: crevolist
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To: VadeRetro; Junior; PatrickHenry; Alamo-Girl; f.Christian; Phaedrus
... [S]cience-based information and conceptual belief systems should not be presented together.

Fundamentally, to insist on "science-based information" exclusively is itself an indication of a preferred "conceptual belief system." It is tantamount to saying: "I wish to exclude other belief systems, for I will brook no rivals to my own."

If macroevolution is true, then it doesn't need to be "defended" by closing it off to questions or challenges. Indeed, I was taught that this is the very means by which scientific knowledge advances.

81 posted on 11/08/2002 6:19:00 AM PST by betty boop
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To: CalConservative
His work has led him to believe that it is impossible to simulaneously evolve 50 specialized genes to give the bacteria this component and there are no intermediate functionalities that could use only some of the genes while the others "evolve' to produce the final function. What is left? Weak arguments for "puncuated equilibrium?"

With the rediscovery of "intelligent design" as it relates to Evolution, I think the "cat is out of the bag" and it's only a matter of time before Darwinism is finally buried.

There are a lot of ostriches out there, though, who call themselves scientists.

All of science was founded on the premises that the universe is intelligently designed and that, with diligent effort, we mere humans can discern at least some of that design. While we have much yet to learn, we have been remarkably successful in this effort.

The Luddites with blinders, it turns out, are the Darwinists, who can see only cold, Godless Material.

82 posted on 11/08/2002 6:47:57 AM PST by Phaedrus
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To: betty boop
If macroevolution is true, then it doesn't need to be "defended" by closing it off to questions or challenges. Indeed, I was taught that this is the very means by which scientific knowledge advances.

Indeed, that is correct. Such challenges are mounted and welcomed. I suspect that you understand that IDism is not a challenge to macroevolution. Instead, it is a challenge to the nature of science. Macroevolution is simply the rallying point, the reason for questioning science.

83 posted on 11/08/2002 6:48:14 AM PST by Nebullis
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To: Nebullis
Creation/God...REFORMATION(Judeo-Christianity)---secular-govt.-humanism/SCIENCE---CIVILIZATION!

Originally the word liberal meant social conservatives(no govt religion--none) who advocated growth and progress---mostly technological(knowledge being absolute/unchanging)based on law--reality... UNDER GOD---the nature of GOD/man/govt. does not change. These were the Classical liberals...founding fathers-PRINCIPLES---stable/SANE scientific reality/society---industrial progress...moral/social character-values(private/personal) GROWTH(limited NON-intrusive PC Govt/religion---schools)!

Evolution...Atheism-dehumanism---TYRANNY(pc/liberal/govt-religion/rhetoric)...

Then came the SPLIT SCHIZOPHRENIA/ZOMBIE/BRAVE-NWO1984 LIBERAL NEO-Soviet Darwin/ACLU America---the post-modern APE age

84 posted on 11/08/2002 6:52:43 AM PST by f.Christian
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To: VadeRetro; jennyp; Junior; longshadow; *crevo_list; RadioAstronomer; Scully; Piltdown_Woman; ...
Probably some duplication here, but if I didn't get an earlier bump about this thread, I assume others among the regulars didn't get one either.

So that everyone will have access to the accumulated "Creationism vs. Evolution" threads which have previously appeared on FreeRepublic, plus links to hundreds of sites with a vast amount of information on this topic, here's Junior's massive work, available for all to review:
The Ultimate Creation vs. Evolution Resource [ver 19].

85 posted on 11/08/2002 7:00:00 AM PST by PatrickHenry
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To: Phaedrus
All of science was founded on the premises that the universe is intelligently designed and that, with diligent effort, we mere humans can discern at least some of that design.

The understanding that the scientific method can be used to discern the design of the universe is a good start, Phaedrus. Don't confuse this with using science to discern knowledge of God. For that the methodology of science is beside the point. And you are back to religion or philosophy, not science.

86 posted on 11/08/2002 7:03:07 AM PST by Nebullis
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To: Junior; VadeRetro; longshadow; jennyp; general_re; balrog666
Hey hey! Something new to look at: Scientific American's List-O-Links!.
87 posted on 11/08/2002 7:08:29 AM PST by PatrickHenry
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To: Nebullis
What is left after you take God out of science...society---science?

To: Marathon

Missionaries have said for years that American educational/media institutions are far more closed than in places like Russia. This underscores their point. What was it someone said, to find real communists these days you have to visit an American university?

2 Posted on 03/27/2000 10:56:24 PST by Marathon

...to find real communists these days you have to visit an American university?

visit an American class/NEWS-room...internet news site(FR)!

88 posted on 11/08/2002 7:09:23 AM PST by f.Christian
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To: AndrewC
Isn't that an adequate description of the Darwininian exhortation to connect the dots?(re fossils)

Give me a sec. I'm ragging on somebody defending Pali's on another thread.

89 posted on 11/08/2002 7:12:36 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: betty boop
Fundamentally, to insist on "science-based information" exclusively is itself an indication of a preferred "conceptual belief system." It is tantamount to saying: "I wish to exclude other belief systems, for I will brook no rivals to my own."

BB, my constant delight! I think you go to far with that statement. What the scientist is saying is more like: "Give me a theory based on evidence I can see, and reasoning I can follow, and I will consider it science. If you give me only your unsupported conjectures, based on your feelings, that's fine, and I may even share your views; but we both know it's not science."

90 posted on 11/08/2002 7:17:27 AM PST by PatrickHenry
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To: <1/1,000,000th%
Last I heard...remember---George W. Bush is a Christian!

He could end intellectual abortion(evolution) in the courts---schools!
91 posted on 11/08/2002 7:18:35 AM PST by f.Christian
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To: CalConservative
I know a number of scientists who are ID proponents and their scientific credentials are impeccable, as is their work.

Names?

I think it is important to note that scientists who are in the ID camp are not the fringe element or religious crackpots that Darwinists make them out to be.

They are certainly a fringe element.Try finding papers on ID in the regular scientific literature.

Some of these attacks tend to be quite vicious at times to the point where being an ID proponent can be a career limiting move. Just ask William Dembski or Stephen Meyer.

Dembski's scientific career was rather unspectacular anyway, and it had sputtered to a halt long before his slight notoreity as a creationist crackpot. I don't even know who Stephen Meyer is.

92 posted on 11/08/2002 7:18:48 AM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: f.Christian
Last I heard...remember---George W. Bush is a Christian!

I think I heard that too. But I'm a Christian as well as I've confessed before.

I'm excited to hear that partial birth abortion is on the agenda, but I hope they don't stop there. Our new State's Attorney in the People's Democratic Republic of Illinois is planning to close the family planning centers because they don't suggest abortion as an option.

93 posted on 11/08/2002 7:24:09 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: Physicist
I've done Scifinder searches on 'Intelligent Design'. You get about 50 hits or so; most of them are nothing to do with ID as the creationists describe it (Someone builds a diode and claims it's 'intelligently designed' for example). You get a few hits on polemics by Behe and others in 'Science', the major journal of the supposedly censorious US scientific establishment that has given the ID cult a soapbox in the last few years, confident that exposed to the light of day, their statements will shrivel. But what you don't get are any papers that use ID to do real scientific work.
94 posted on 11/08/2002 7:24:38 AM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: MHGinTN
��5{��������ierd request: at 10:57 est I was on my porch (in East Tennessee) and saw a strange series of meteor-like displays in the East-Northeast. The first object streaked across and went 'poofed'; less than a minute later a second object streaked across the night sky, then appeared to be 'hit' by something and explode(?), then a little more light streak downward from that burst; approximately one minute later a third meteor-like object streaked across the sky and went 'poof'. Does anyone know if the military was taking satellite target practice tonight or was a satellite scheduled to 'fall' out of orbit? The pattern appeared to be roughly in a 'string of streaks' from overhead to East-northeast with the pattern running east-northeast to the north. Any thoughts, Anyone?

I have to say your post is exactly the right context for a discussion of ID. Have you called Art Bell?

95 posted on 11/08/2002 7:26:09 AM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: Junior
No - it indicates that the narrowmindedness of Darwinists will reject any and all efforts at peer review, a priori, believing that there is no scientific basis for ID, before they have even considered the writings of ID'ers. There are a number of accounts of this. Unfortunately, since I am at work, I can't provide citations.
96 posted on 11/08/2002 7:31:39 AM PST by LiteKeeper
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To: AndrewC
Isn't that an adequate description of the Darwininian exhortation to connect the dots?(re fossils)

I'm not sure where you're going with this one. Confronted with the fossil evidence, what does ID say? This is where the Incompetent Designer jokes come from. Why would a designer create most species to be extinct?

Are the fossils not real? (Radioactive dating is fake!) Are they the work of Satan? (A kind of anti-designer maybe.) If form and structure don't mean anything, what's the point of worrying about other life on the planet? Fire up the barbie and let's see how they taste.

97 posted on 11/08/2002 7:32:10 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: LiteKeeper
The ID crowd hasn't submitted anything for peer review. If the paper has its Is dotted and its Ts crossed and has enough detail that other researchers can replicate the process the original researcher used, it will be taken seriously by the peer-review community. There is no grand conspiracy to silence ID, just as there was no grand conspiracy against the theory of Relativity by the entrenched Æther community. The IDers don't get published because they have nothing to publish.
98 posted on 11/08/2002 7:39:16 AM PST by Junior
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To: Nebullis
Sorry - lost power last night. I know it was just the storm, but I like to think it is our way of celebrating Gray Davis' re-election as governor of California.
99 posted on 11/08/2002 7:45:09 AM PST by CalConservative
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To: Right Wing Professor
Names?

Here's a start, but you already know that, right?


A Scientific Dissent on Darwinism

"I am skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged."

Henry F.Schaefer: Director, Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry: U. of Georgia • Fred Sigworth: Prof. of Cellular & Molecular Physiology- Grad. School: Yale U. • Philip S. Skell: Emeritus Prof. Of Chemistry: NAS member • Frank Tipler: Prof. of Mathematical Physics: Tulane U. • Robert Kaita: Plasma Physics Lab: Princeton U. • Michael Behe: Prof. of Biological Science: Lehigh U. • Walter Hearn: PhD Biochemistry-U of Illinois • Tony Mega: Assoc. Prof. of Chemistry: Whitworth College • Dean Kenyon: Prof. Emeritus of Biology: San Francisco State U. • Marko Horb: Researcher, Dept. of Biology & Biochemistry: U. of Bath, UK • Daniel Kubler: Asst. Prof. of Biology: Franciscan U. of Steubenville • David Keller: Assoc. Prof. of Chemistry: U. of New Mexico • James Keesling: Prof. of Mathematics: U. of Florida • Roland F. Hirsch: PhD Analytical Chemistry-U. of Michigan • Robert Newman: PhD Astrophysics-Cornell U. • Carl Koval: Prof., Chemistry & Biochemistry: U. of Colorado, Boulder • Tony Jelsma: Prof. of Biology: Dordt College • William A.Dembski: PhD Mathematics-U. of Chicago: • George Lebo: Assoc. Prof. of Astronomy: U. of Florida • Timothy G. Standish: PhD Environmental Biology-George Mason U. • James Keener: Prof. of Mathematics & Adjunct of Bioengineering: U. of Utah • Robert J. Marks: Prof. of Signal & Image Processing: U. of Washington • Carl Poppe: Senior Fellow: Lawrence Livermore Laboratories • Siegfried Scherer: Prof. of Microbial Ecology: Technische Universitaet Muenchen • Gregory Shearer: Internal Medicine, Research: U. of California, Davis • Joseph Atkinson: PhD Organic Chemistry-M.I.T.: American Chemical Society, member • Lawrence H. Johnston: Emeritus Prof. of Physics: U. of Idaho • Scott Minnich: Prof., Dept of Microbiology, Molecular Biology & Biochem: U. of Idaho • David A. DeWitt: PhD Neuroscience-Case Western U. • Theodor Liss: PhD Chemistry-M.I.T. • Braxton Alfred: Emeritus Prof. of Anthropology: U. of British Columbia • Walter Bradley: Prof. Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering: Texas A & M • Paul D. Brown: Asst. Prof. of Environmental Studies: Trinity Western U. (Canada) • Marvin Fritzler: Prof. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: U. of Calgary, Medical School • Theodore Saito: Project Manager: Lawrence Livermore Laboratories • Muzaffar Iqbal: PhD Chemistry-U. of Saskatchewan: Center for Theology the Natural Sciences • William S. Pelletier: Emeritus Distinguished Prof. of Chemistry: U. of Georgia, Athens • Keith Delaplane: Prof. of Entomology: U. of Georgia • Ken Smith: Prof. of Mathematics: Central Michigan U. • Clarence Fouche: Prof. of Biology: Virginia Intermont College • Thomas Milner: Asst. Prof. of Biomedical Engineering: U. of Texas, Austin • Brian J.Miller: PhD Physics-Duke U. • Paul Nesselroade: Assoc. Prof. of Psychology: Simpson College • Donald F.Calbreath: Prof. of Chemistry: Whitworth College • William P. Purcell: PhD Physical Chemistry-Princeton U. • Wesley Allen: Prof. of Computational Quantum Chemistry: U. of Georgia • Jeanne Drisko: Asst. Prof., Kansas Medical Center: U. of Kansas, School of Medicine • Chris Grace: Assoc. Prof. of Psychology: Biola U. • Wolfgang Smith: Prof. Emeritus-Mathematics: Oregon State U. • Rosalind Picard: Assoc. Prof. Computer Science: M.I.T. • Garrick Little: Senior Scientist, Li-Cor: Li-Cor • John L. Omdahl: Prof. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: U. of New Mexico • Martin Poenie: Assoc. Prof. of Molecular Cell & Developmental Bio: U. of Texas, Austin • Russell W.Carlson: Prof. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: U. of Georgia • Hugh Nutley: Prof. Emeritus of Physics & Engineering: Seattle Pacific U. • David Berlinski: PhD Philosophy-Princeton: Mathematician, Author • Neil Broom: Assoc. Prof., Chemical & Materials Engineeering: U. of Auckland • John Bloom: Assoc. Prof., Physics: Biola U. • James Graham: Professional Geologist, Sr. Program Manager: National Environmental Consulting Firm • John Baumgardner: Technical Staff, Theoretical Division: Los Alamos National Laboratory • Fred Skiff: Prof. of Physics: U. of Iowa • Paul Kuld: Assoc. Prof., Biological Science: Biola U. • Yongsoon Park: Senior Research Scientist: St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City • Moorad Alexanian: Prof. of Physics: U. of North Carolina, Wilmington • Donald Ewert: Director of Research Administration: Wistar Institute • Joseph W. Francis: Assoc. Prof. of Biology: Cedarville U. • Thomas Saleska: Prof. of Biology: Concordia U. • Ralph W. Seelke: Prof. & Chair of Dept. of Biology & Earth Sciences: U. of Wisconsin, Superior • James G. Harman: Assoc. Chair, Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry: Texas Tech U. • Lennart Moller: Prof. of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute: U. of Stockholm • Raymond G. Bohlin: PhD Molecular & Cell Biology-U. of Texas: • Fazale R. Rana: PhD Chemistry-Ohio U. • Michael Atchison: Prof. of Biochemistry: U. of Pennsylvania, Vet School • William S. Harris: Prof. of Basic Medical Sciences: U. of Missouri, Kansas City • Rebecca W. Keller: Research Prof., Dept. of Chemistry: U. of New Mexico • Terry Morrison: PhD Chemistry-Syracuse U. • Robert F. DeHaan: PhD Human Development-U. of Chicago • Matti Lesola: Prof., Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering: Helsinki U. of Technology • Bruce Evans: Assoc. Prof. of Biology: Huntington College • Jim Gibson: PhD Biology-Loma Linda U. • David Ness: PhD Anthropology-Temple U. • Bijan Nemati: Senior Engineer: Jet Propulsion Lab (NASA) • Edward T. Peltzer: Senior Research Specialist: Monterey Bay Research Institute • Stan E. Lennard: Clinical Assoc. Prof. of Surgery: U. of Washington • Rafe Payne: Prof. & Chair, Biola Dept. of Biological Sciences: Biola U. • Phillip Savage: Prof. of Chemical Engineering: U. of Michigan • Pattle Pun: Prof. of Biology: Wheaton College • Jed Macosko: Postdoctoral Researcher-Molecular Biology: U. of California, Berkeley • Daniel Dix: Assoc. Prof. of Mathematics: U. of South Carolina • Ed Karlow: Chair, Dept. of Physics: LaSierra U. • James Harbrecht: Clinical Assoc. Prof.: U. of Kansas Medical Center • Robert W. Smith: Prof. of Chemistry: U. of Nebraska, Omaha • Robert DiSilvestro: PhD Biochemistry-Texas A & M U., Professor, Human Nutrition, Ohio State University • David Prentice: Prof., Dept. of Life Sciences: Indiana State U. • Walt Stangl: Assoc. Prof. of Mathematics: Biola U. • Jonathan Wells: PhD Molecular & Cell Biology-U. of California, Berkeley: • James Tour: Chao Prof. of Chemistry: Rice U. • Todd Watson: Asst. Prof. of Urban & Community Forestry: Texas A & M U. • Robert Waltzer: Assoc. Prof. of Biology: Belhaven College • Vincente Villa: Prof. of Biology: Southwestern U. • Richard Sternberg: Pstdoctoral Fellow, Invertebrate Biology: Smithsonian Institute • James Tumlin: Assoc. Prof. of Medicine: Emory U. Charles Thaxton: PhD Physical Chemistry-Iowa State U.


100 posted on 11/08/2002 7:51:58 AM PST by CalConservative
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