Students and faculty debate about teaching intelligent design
Cynthia Martinez
Issue date: 10/26/05 Section: News
Debates on the reality of evolution and the Intelligent Design theory have existed for many years.
Now that some people think there might be other explanations, the issue has changed to whether or not the theory should be taught in a classroom.
Lock Haven University Faculty and students gathered last Thursday to discuss the issues of teaching Intelligent Design theory in schools.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, "intelligent design is a theory that offers another explanation for the origin of the diversity of living organisms than the current scientifically accepted theory of evolution."
Those who don't agree with ID say that intelligent design is not a tested scientific theory but a cleverly marketed effort to introduce religious thinking to students and should not be taught.
On the other hand, some people say that it has nothing to do with faith, just the probability of there being another way that man kind was created.
"Intelligent theory is not based on faith," said LHU student Michael Behee.
"It depends in the person and what they consider a creator. It doesn't necessarily need to be God," he said.
Students also discussed the evidence that exists to prove both theories and the fact that they are both just that - theories.
"Natural selection absolutely happened and it absolutely needs to be taught," said Jennifer Scudder.
Essays written by Dr. Stephen Jay Gould stated that evolution is both a theory and a fact.
"Biological evolution is a change in the genetic characteristics of a population over time. That this happens is a fact. The evidence for historical evolution-genetic, fossil, anatomical, etc. is so overwhelming that it is also considered a fact," stated Gould. "The theory of evolution describes the mechanisms that cause evolution. So evolution is both a fact and a theory."
It is also believed that because certain theories can't be reproduced then there is no fact behind them, therefore it shouldn't be taught.
Now that some people think there might be other explanations, the issue has changed to whether or not the theory should be taught in a classroom.
Lock Haven University Faculty and students gathered last Thursday to discuss the issues of teaching Intelligent Design theory in schools.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, "intelligent design is a theory that offers another explanation for the origin of the diversity of living organisms than the current scientifically accepted theory of evolution."
Those who don't agree with ID say that intelligent design is not a tested scientific theory but a cleverly marketed effort to introduce religious thinking to students and should not be taught.
On the other hand, some people say that it has nothing to do with faith, just the probability of there being another way that man kind was created.
"Intelligent theory is not based on faith," said LHU student Michael Behee.
"It depends in the person and what they consider a creator. It doesn't necessarily need to be God," he said.
Students also discussed the evidence that exists to prove both theories and the fact that they are both just that - theories.
"Natural selection absolutely happened and it absolutely needs to be taught," said Jennifer Scudder.
Essays written by Dr. Stephen Jay Gould stated that evolution is both a theory and a fact.
"Biological evolution is a change in the genetic characteristics of a population over time. That this happens is a fact. The evidence for historical evolution-genetic, fossil, anatomical, etc. is so overwhelming that it is also considered a fact," stated Gould. "The theory of evolution describes the mechanisms that cause evolution. So evolution is both a fact and a theory."
It is also believed that because certain theories can't be reproduced then there is no fact behind them, therefore it shouldn't be taught.
