Statements on Teaching Evolution

From Scienticity

Revision as of 22:13, 3 October 2005

Science Professionals

Rush Holt

Rush Holt, physicist and Democratic US Representative from New Jersey, wrote^[1] in September 2005 about what is good science, what should be taught about science, and why it should be taught. Some short excerpts:

...public school science classes are not the place to teach concepts that cannot be backed up by evidence and tested experimentally.

A scientifically literate nation would not permit Intelligent Design to be presented and treated as a scientific theory. Science education is necessary for all students, especially for those who are not going to become professional scientists. We must not lose the important American characteristic - hard, practical thinking.

Understanding sciences brings order, harmony, and balance to our lives. The sciences teach us that the world is intelligible and not capricious. They give us the skills for lifelong learning, for creating progress itself.

John H Marburger III

John H. Marburger III is the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2001-- ) and current science advisor to President Bush. In August 2005, shortly after the President made a statement supportive of teaching "Intelligent Design" creationist doctrine in public schools, Marburger responded publically to a question on the subject by saying^[2]

Evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology.

Intelligent design is not a scientific theory.

Professional Societies

American Astronomical Society

From the "AAS Statement on the Teaching of Evolution", 20 September 2005:

The American Astronomical Society supports teaching evolution in our nation’s K-12 science classes. Evolution is a valid scientific theory for the origin of species that has been repeatedly tested and verified through observation, formulation of testable statements to explain those observations, and controlled experiments or additional observations to find out whether these ideas are right or wrong. A scientific theory is not speculation or a guess -- scientific theories are unifying concepts that explain the physical universe. [...] Since “Intelligent Design” is not science, it does not belong in the science curriculum of the nation’s primary and secondary schools.

The AAS also made an earlier statement, by resolution on 10 January 1982, against the teaching of creationist doctrine (at that time known as "Creation Science"). For more information, see our entry on the American Astronomical Society.

ASA-CSSA-SSSA

From the press release "Scientific Societies Support Teaching Evolution":

In Support of Teaching Evolution
Position Statement by the Executive Committees of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, adopted August 11, 2005

Intelligent design is not a scientific discipline and should not be taught as part of the K-12 science curriculum. Intelligent design has neither the substantial research base, nor the testable hypotheses as a scientific discipline. There are at least 70 resolutions from a broad array of scientific societies and institutions that are united on this matter.

Notes

1. ^ Rush Holt, "Intelligent Design: It's Not Even Wrong", TPMcafe, 8 September 2005.
2. ^ Quoted in: Eisabeth Bumiller, "Bush Remarks Roil Debate over Teaching of Evolution", New York Times, 3 August 2005, archived at truthout.org.

Sources

• American Astronomical Society.
• American Society of Agronomy - Crop Science Society of America - Soil Science Society of America.
• FYI: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News.
• National Center for Science Education.