If we think ID is not science, then the topic of ID as compared to Theory of
Evolution provides teachers with a good opportunity to help students
understand what science is and is not. The Nuffield Foundation, for example,
could provide some good material for teachers on this - perhaps it has
already.
But to be fair, a version of ID was the working theory of how life came about
for many of the great thinkers of western civilization. It is just that
Charles Darwin (and many others) provide us with buckets of evidence to
support another theory - evolution by natural selection. That is why
scientists (and many main stream Christians) believe it.
If you think about it ID is a theory, like the phlogisten theory, that has
been replaced due to our increased knowledge.
Lesley
>===== Original Message From "psci-com: on public engagement with science"
<[log in to unmask]> =====
>On 10 Aug 2005, at 18:55, Abbott, Wynn wrote:
>
>> I don't agree that the definition of Intelligent Design as religion
>> is as clear-cut as you imply - ID does infer a 'belief in and
>> reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator
>> and governor of the universe'....however, it is also a 'theory of
>> the origin of life' - this is science.
>
>Can you point me to the "scientific theory of ID" that they want
>taught in schools. I've been looking for it for about 5 years. Seems
>the ID crowd are very secretive. Or maybe said theory doesn't exist.
>So far we seem to have:
>
>"Some unidentified supernatural or, maybe alien entity, who
>definitely isn't God, oh no, did something, we don't know what, at
>some time in the past, we don't know when, using some mechanism that
>we don't know and can't design an experiment to test".
>
>Hmm. Science? I think not.
>
>Ian
>--
>Ian Robinson - Belfast - UK <http://www.canicula.com>
>Soapbox - <http://homepage.mac.com/ianrobinson/index.html>
>
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Lesley Newson
School of Psychology
University of Exeter
Washington Singer Laboratories
Perry Road
Exeter, UK EX4 4QG
Website: http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/ln202
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