ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>I've got a couple of questions for everyone out there...
>
>1) Do you believe that Darwinian Evolution teaches that life itself evolved
>out of proteins (DNA & RNA are random sets of molecular structures that
>eventually came about...), or that it teaches simply that once life was
>established, it evolved?
The Theory of Evolution does not speak to the origin of life; just
how life evolved.
As to whether scientists should deal with ID is another question.
Certainly as a philosophical idea I think no one has any problems
with that. I don't think I ever met a scientist who was not
interested in discussing philosophy and science at the same time. The
difficulty is that proponents of ID/creationism want ID/creationism
to be stipulated as part of the science curriculum; to share time and
space in the science curriculum; to gain acceptance of ID/creationism
on a par with biological science as if they are biological science.
There are other issues of political power and cultural warfare, as
well.
The AAAS Q and A on Evolution and Creationism is illuminating on
these points:
http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/evolution/qanda.shtml
Martin
>
>2) Do you think biology teachers in public schools even teach the "origins
>of life"? Mine certainly didn't. When asked, he would offer an opinion -
>which he qualified as an OPINION. As for evolution, yes that was taught as
>the way life "advanced" (it was also taught poorly, but that's besides the
>point).
>
>To me, ID is fine as a philosophical construct. Much like arguing why the
>universe is so ordered. There are multiple philosophical theories on that.
>However, by and large SCIENCE stays away from that (I know of one scientist
>published in Scientific American who says there are implications where it is
>testable, but I have nto seen an elaboration on that).
>
>Perhaps scientists should not be outraged by ID, but rather state the
>obvious: it is an interesting philosophical idea, that deserves to be
>taught once we start teaching philosophy. Now whether or not we should
>teach philosophy should be left up to the individual school systems (right
>now it is occasionally an elective course in high schools, and to the best
>of my knowledge it is never mandated).
>
>
>-William Katzman [log in to unmask]
>Director of Exhibits (828) 322-8169 x307
>Catawba Science Center (828) 322-1585 (fax)
>"Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value"
>-A. Einstein
>
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--
Martin Weiss, Ph.D
Vice President, Science
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111 th Street
Corona, New York 11368
718 699 0005 x 356
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