I’ve been sort-of following the recent push to introduce intelligent design as an alternative theory to evolution. I’m totally against this for two reasons.
- Intelligent design smacks of religious overtones. The Supreme Court has, time and time again, ruled that religion has no place in public schools. If you’re so intent on having your kids learn intelligent design then send them to a private religious school.
- The huge hole in this theory is the question of who created this “intelligent designer”? Where did they come from? Where they in turn designed by another intelligent designer; one even more intelligent than our own designer? Or, oh the irony, did they evolve from some lesser designers?
My main complaint with the whole thing is that the market should fill this void. If there is a demand from parents wanting their children “taught” this “theory” then that demand should be met by private schools who have teachers on staff that are well versed in this theory. The courts all agree it’s illegal to teach it in public schools so why not save us all the headache and send your kid to private school where they’ll be taught all about this amazing new “theory”?
It is pretty scary to think that perhaps someday, we’ll have to send our kids to private school so they can learn about evolution.
I did want to mention, though, that if the paradox of “intelligent design” is “who created the intelligent designer”, then the paradox of evolution is “where did the fundamental stuff that eventually evolved into everything else come from?”
You might want to check out the following links for what science thinks about your question.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution
It’s funny how people with your opinion assume that the theory of evolution SHOULD be taught in schools but the theory of intelligent design should not be. I don’t get it.
Question for you: Setting aside the issue of “religious overtones” (because obviously that’s where the theory of intelligent design comes from, and the line between religion and non-religion is becoming blurred more and more), why do you feel parents of children who support the theory of intelligent design should have to pay taxes to support public schools that teach children a viewpoint they don’t believe as well as pay for their own children to go to a private school?
How do you feel about paying extra taxes so that a family who may not be able to send their child to a private school (but would like to) could be enabled to do so through a government handout?
On second thought, if we’re both going to pay for eachother’s children why don’t we just simplify it and pay for our own instead? I’ll opt out of putting money into public schools through my taxes and instead put that money towards private school for my child. And you can double your taxes that go to public schools since my money will no longer be there. Or alternatively you can put your child in private school as well. 🙂
Overall, my opinion on this matter is that the parents who believe in the theory of intelligent design should not be afraid of the theory of evolution being taught in school. If they are afraid their children will go “astray” because they heard teacher say they used to be a monkey then they have bigger problems on their hands.
I’m pretty sick and tired of no one being responsible for anything anymore.
In other words, if I can’t afford private school and there are no government funds for me to get a hold of so that I can send my child to private school, well then that’s just tough. That’s how life goes and I’ll just have to work extra hard at home being a parent, teaching my child what I want them to know.