Teaching Evolution In Schools
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James Said:
Why the controversy about teaching evolution in schools?We Answered:
I don't see how McDonald's fits in here.... but I hope they love the publicity.God created humanity...... pure and simple.
Roger Said:
Someone just asked: Do they teach evolution in schools in Europe and It made me wonder, are there schools in?We Answered:
I saw the same question, and was surprised by it too.I'm Irish, and I attend school in a convent, where several of the teachers are nuns. 96% of schools in Ireland are partially run by the Church. However, evolution is still taught in EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL. It's accepted as fact, and the Catholic Church has accepted it as fact, as have a large number of Protestant churches. Every single student in Ireland has to sit the same science exams, and evolution makes up a part of this exam.
In reality though, it kind of makes sense that there are Americans who aren't educated about evolution. I've met American high school graduates who didn't realise Europe was more than one country, or who didn't know any maths beyond algebra and trigonometry, or who had never read a book, or who didn't know what decade World War One was in.
Come to think of it, are we really that shocked that they aren't familiarising themselves with Darwinian evolution?
Jared Said:
Athiests are upset with Pledge of Allegience in Schools, What about schools teaching Evolution to Christians?We Answered:
I'm an atheist and I think that both the evolution and the creation should be taught in schools. That's how it was in my school and I think it was good that they told us about both and didn't present either one of them as the truth but rather let us choose which one we believed in.People can't easily get over such things because they feel like they're being discriminated because of their religion and that something irrelevant is being forced upon them. I think it's ok to feel like that and that people should work together on solving such disagreements.
Sandra Said:
What are some arguments against teaching evolution in schools, and for teaching evolution in schools?We Answered:
The arguments against teaching evolution in public schools are....all very, very poor, I have to say. It basically boils down to it not jiving with the creation story of X religious group, who are more often than not Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. As far as I know, most Hindus and Buddhists have no problem with it. This is all despite the fact that, for example, the Catholic Church has recently endorsed evolution and declared the "rival" theory, Intelligent Design, to be a mockery of both science and theology.While Evolution does pose some very serious problems for anyone who would take a literalist interpretation of Genesis, the two are not entirely incompatible.....as one of Evolution's most vehement defenders, Kenneth Miller, is a devout Catholic, who defended Darwin against the onslaught of Creationist tripe during the Dover Trials.
The argument for teaching evolution is schools is tantamount to the argument for teaching the theory of gravity in schools....or for teaching the sexual theory of human reproduction as opposed to the "rival" stork theory.....it's just effing true, and all the ID arguments are inevitably based upon arguments from ignorance.
Todd Said:
Teaching evolution in schools: Who should be responsible for deciding what curriculum is acceptable to teach?We Answered:
Evolution needs to be taught in school as a science.If your religious beliefs are different, you will teach your children at home or in their religious education.
The school board [ that you voted for ] decides what to teach.
Leonard Said:
Why are so many religious organizations against teaching Evolution in schools?We Answered:
Thats the whole point...The reason they are so intent on teaching creationism in schools instead of Evolution is because the pure evidence of evolution disproves thier religion. I mean think about it this way...in order for religion to survive you need people to go to church..so what if for the next 20 years 9 out of 10 kids decided that, Yeah the bible is wrong and Evolution actually has evidence...do you know what that would do to organized religion...It may wipe it out. So that means...no more church...no more money. Get it?Misty Said:
Do we need to start teaching evolution in schools?We Answered:
It is the same thing!The attempt to divide evolution into the short-term change, vs. long-term change as if they were *TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES* has no resemblance to how *SCIENTISTS* understand evolution ... as a single process.
This is a division invented by creationists. They try to use the words 'microevolution' and 'macroevolution' for these two "separate processes" ... but this is a complete misuse of these terms as actually used by scientists. Specifically, the distinction between microevolution and macroevolution is purely about how we *STUDY* evolution ... it is not a division in nature itself.
It's like the division between "microbiology" and "macrobiology" ... these aren't two different kinds of "life" ... it is not a hard division *in nature* ... it is only a division in the way humans *study* life ... "microbiology" focuses on the very small (that seen in a microscope).
You are absolutely right that germs developing resistance to antibiotics *is* evolution. But so is the change in dogs that has produced the difference between chihuahuas and great danes from their ancestor the wolf. And so is the gradual change in a lizard specie around a huge geographic ring in California that has produced a new species. And so is the evolution of corn from teosinte as accomplished over centuries by native americans. And so is the evidence of genetic differences between closely related, and distantly related modern species. And so is the evidence tracing back deep into the fossil record of slow change over millions of years.
It's *ALL* evolution.
Evolution isn't some side topic in biology. It is perhaps *the most unifying concept in all of biology* ... on par with cell theory itself (and many would say, it is *more* important because it links more otherwise separated facts).
Teaching biology without evolution, is like teaching astronomy while carefully avoiding mention of gravity ... or teaching chemistry while avoiding mention of atoms or molecules.
YES, it should be taught in schools!