Should schools teach Darwinism or Creationism?
- Thread starter AFB
- Start date
Only things that can be FACTUALLY and SCIENTIFICALLY proven have a place in school. What beliefs otherwise (dieties, etc), have none.
Let's teach them both. Presenting opposing views encourages critical thinking. As these children grow up, they will hopefully learn enough to decide for themselves. Nobody told me what to believe when I was a pup, and I don't have a hard time reconciling the two: God created mankind through the forces of evolution.
MetalMat
Diamond Member
- Jun 14, 2004
- 9,687
- 36
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Teaching creationism in a Science class, I repeat the word Science because it is not made up from thin air and a book which may or may not be true, would be stupid.
If you brought up the thought that God created mankind through the forces of evolution most christian zealots I know would just get mad at you and say evolution is a lie.
If you brought up the thought that God created mankind through the forces of evolution most christian zealots I know would just get mad at you and say evolution is a lie.
There are 2:
Gradualism and Punctuationism
Gradualism versus Punctuationism
edit, they are both evolutionary theories.
NuclearNed
Raconteur
- May 18, 2001
- 7,882
- 380
- 126
Schools should teach both.
1. Darwinism is a scientific theory that is backed by a lot of educated people throughout the world. As such, it deserves to be taught as any other theory is taught. And it should be stated that Darwinism is an unproven theory.
2. Creationism is a theory that is also backed by a lot of people throughout the world. However, it is not the job of schools to provide religious education. I think schools, when teaching this subject, should make brief reference to creationism as a theory that coexists with Darwinism, but nothing more. And it should be stated that creationism is an unproven theory. If parents want their kids to know more about creationism, they should take the responsibility upon themselves to teach it, as has been done for countless ages.
1. Darwinism is a scientific theory that is backed by a lot of educated people throughout the world. As such, it deserves to be taught as any other theory is taught. And it should be stated that Darwinism is an unproven theory.
2. Creationism is a theory that is also backed by a lot of people throughout the world. However, it is not the job of schools to provide religious education. I think schools, when teaching this subject, should make brief reference to creationism as a theory that coexists with Darwinism, but nothing more. And it should be stated that creationism is an unproven theory. If parents want their kids to know more about creationism, they should take the responsibility upon themselves to teach it, as has been done for countless ages.
Teaching the creationism "Christian" views in school is not a problem to me a non-christian. I believe that they should teach both Darwinism and Creationism because its two opposing scientific theories that need to be introduced to students so that they can make a decision for themselves. In the same way we shouldn't stop teaching other religions, Islam, Hinduism, Judiasm, etc. becuase their not "Chrsitian". There is no debate over that even though they all have opposing views on diety, afterlife, etc. All is taught, all is well.
I don't want to get into a religious debate, but I think the main reason there is a concern is because of the Chrisitan views of creationism, right? ........i could be totally wrong....
TuxDave
Lifer
- Oct 8, 2002
- 10,571
- 3
- 71
Creationism should be reserved for a religion class. Otherwise if you do teach creationism, how come it's only the Christian interpretation. You'll go into a million different paths about the origin of the earth from various cultures and extinct beliefs that in the end, you'll not doing the job of teaching Science anymore.
TuxDave
Lifer
- Oct 8, 2002
- 10,571
- 3
- 71
I'm sorry... but since when was creationism with Adam and Eve a scientific theory? They are two opposing theories, but as far as I know, I have not seen Creationism formulated as a scientific theory. I think that's another thing to teach, what makes a theory scientific.
http://www.don-lindsay-archive.../creation/falsify.html
Creationism (including "Creation Science") is divinely revealed truth not a scientific theory. "Intelligent Design" is not a scientific theory either, just a statement that "gee, the odds of humans evolving are high, therefore God musta done it."
That's religion. The most a science-based class should say is something like "many religions say that either natural selection did not apply to humans, or that evolution was guided by some force outside nature."
My thoughts exactly. If you're going to teach creationism under the guise that you're just teaching all the oposing theories, then why limit it to the Christian creationism? Every religion, major and minor, has their own interpretation of our origins. It's just an effort to promote Christianity through the public school system.
Sounds like almost all science classes have to be disbanded then. Science and "factual proof" are basically mutually exclusive.
DanTMWTMP
Lifer
- Oct 7, 2001
- 15,908
- 19
- 81
well, my school taught both...and this was their explanation to us before they taught it to us:
darwinism because it is the closest theory we have based on actual evidence to scientificaly proove where we're from. (taught in my science classes)
creationism just because it has strong ties and influences w/ our society. (we learned it during hum/history classes)
(admit it. christianity had a huge impact on our western society. Go anywhere in the world. Aside from the language, the biuldings and city layouts are all similar. This is all influenced from western society and christianity is among its roots. Be it myth, truth, or whatever, you can't leave it out in the curriculum because it is the roots of our society. Why do we learn greek mythology then? greeks had a heavy influence on romans. romans took over europe. europe took over the world. It is a part of our culture as human beings, and it is important for the sake of culture to learn it).
heck, during middle school and high school we were even taught the origins of all the major religions of the world. Each coverage had equal weight. This was history class btw..
If i ever get a kid, he's going to the same public school district i went. It's a feeder district to all the major UC's.
darwinism because it is the closest theory we have based on actual evidence to scientificaly proove where we're from. (taught in my science classes)
creationism just because it has strong ties and influences w/ our society. (we learned it during hum/history classes)
(admit it. christianity had a huge impact on our western society. Go anywhere in the world. Aside from the language, the biuldings and city layouts are all similar. This is all influenced from western society and christianity is among its roots. Be it myth, truth, or whatever, you can't leave it out in the curriculum because it is the roots of our society. Why do we learn greek mythology then? greeks had a heavy influence on romans. romans took over europe. europe took over the world. It is a part of our culture as human beings, and it is important for the sake of culture to learn it).
heck, during middle school and high school we were even taught the origins of all the major religions of the world. Each coverage had equal weight. This was history class btw..
If i ever get a kid, he's going to the same public school district i went. It's a feeder district to all the major UC's.
All ideas about the origins of man and the universe require some amount of faith. So should any of them be taught at all? In the context of a basic science class that is. I think seperate classes in their departments would be more appropriate.
HardcoreRobot
Lifer
- Nov 7, 2000
- 16,403
- 3
- 81
everything should be taught / presented / explained / analyzed / questioned. and everyone should decide for themselves where the truth lies.
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