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Originally Posted by Biochemist
This issue seems a little inflated. In spite of the hoopla over events like the introduciton of ID into schools, this is much ado about nothing.
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So you're saying we shouldn't do anything at all? I'm not in disagreement with the idea that scientists are to be faulted, but you're saying we should do nothing about the eggregious actions of *both* sides? Just let them all get away with outright falsehoods? I don't see this issue as science versus religion so much as moderate agreed upon methodolgoies versus bias and outright falsehood spouted by the extremes, that is unfortunately leaving the vast majority confused and easily misled....
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Originally Posted by Biochemist
A substantal number of basic science sorts are theistic. This does not mitigate their impact on science. A substantial number of theologians understand the basic science issues, and are not young earth creationists. This heterogeneity is healthy.
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Again, this is not really the issue here as discussed in many other threads: there's plenty of acceptance (well, maybe not by Richard Dawkins
), of religion among many scientists, but that does not justify allowing any concept to be billed as "scientific":
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Originally Posted by Biochemist
Introduction of a paragraph on Intelligent Design into speciation curriculum is not unwarranted, and it is not unreasonable. It is also not particularly significant. It might even get more kids (who might not otherwise) to think about science in an openminded manner....The sky is not falling.
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Even the Discovery Institute is not pushing for this! The arguments associated with ID are not scientific because they are all entirely based on the absence of evidence (lets leave arguing that one for another thread if you'd like, though). Until there's more validating research, I will continue to argue that there's no excuse to "teach" it, because it does promulgate the notion that any belief is a priori scientific, which is a bad thing to teach kids.
My real issue here again is not ID, its pseudo science in general. We've had other threads about "dragon documentaries" and the amazing number of UFO abduction and Bermuda Triangle shows on TV pushed by "liberal media" like Fox. The public policy issue is one of media and politicians of every stripe *validating* the notion that anything you say should be accepted as an equally valid position.
So again, what should we do about it? Do you really think we should do nothing?
Cheers,
Buffy
