Creationism Debate May Hit Pennsylvania in Upcoming Legislation

[nebula]

Creationism Debate May Hit Pennsylvania in Upcoming Legislation

By Katherine Weber, Christian Post Reporter

August 5, 2013|6:44 pm

 

A Republican state representative in Pennsylvania is currently seeking co-sponsors for legislation that would allow students to openly discuss different scientific theories in the public classroom, including critiquing existing theories such as evolution and global warming. Critics argue that this type of legislation warrants the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in public schools.

 

Although legislation has yet to be created, Rep. Stephen Bloom (R., Cumberland) argues that students in the state should be allowed to openly question the validity of mainstream scientific theories in a safe setting, such as the classroom.

 

Read the rest here

 

 

DISCLAIMER: We have enough creation vs evolution debates. Please keep this thread to the validity or not of allowing "students to openly discuss different scientific theories in the public classroom".

[nebula]

My opinion: Why do we need legislation to allow science to be treated as science? Science isn't cut and dry facts; science is a discovery, and not all mainstream conclusions are cut in stone.

 

The most useful scientific class I had in college spent the semester going over the actual facts (evidence) and how the evidence has been interpreted - from the mainstream to the plausible alternatives to the most bizarre. Through this class I gained a greater appreciation for how science actually works than the standard "this is how it is" teaching - that might include a mention of the theory being questioned but the teacher never explained what that was or what the alternatives were.

[JDavis]

depends on how the law is written, but chances are it will leave too many unanswered questions.

 

where do they draw the line on what is discussed?   can a student from a Muslim country discuss Allah?  Will they discuss Ra-Harakhet coming out of the Nu?

 

What happens when a student sues the school because they feel there was no enough discussion on their topic?

 

I say let teachers teach and leave the politicians out of it

[TsukinoRei]

I think that Creationism and Intelligent Design are disingenuous.  Actually I think it's downright deceitful.  The people who argue for Creationism to be taught in science class rooms as a genuine scientific alternative to evolution actually want the Genesis version of creation to be taught.  I am quite certain that these same people would  be very upset if Buddhist ideas of creation were taught in equal measure, or Hindu, or First Nations, or Australian Aboriginal, or any of the other creation beliefs.  I have on many occasions heard it taught by Pastors and Bible College Professors, that Faith is all the evidence a Believer needs, and even that if God were proven to exist we would not have the opportunity for that gift of faith.  I don't personally agree with that teaching but I know it to be mainstream.  Even so, if this is the understanding of faith that Christians choose to hold then we must recognise that Creationism remains a philosophy, not a science.  And if this philosophy is taught in schools then it should be taught in equal measure with all the competing philosophies of other religions.

[JDavis]

Reminds me of when I was an undergrad and I asked a professor, "Creationists say there aren't any transitional fossils between major groups.  Is that true?"  His answer was spot on.  "You want to be a scientist?  Then you need to learn to think like a scientist.  If you want to know if transitional fossils exist, GO LOOK!"

 

 

so, did you ever find any?

[MarkNigro]

Tons.  More than I could study.  My conclusion was trivially easy to reach.  Creationist organizations were either incredibly ignorant or blatantly lying.

Sorry there are none at all.

 

in fact there should be millions of chains of missing links between all these species. None have been found.

 

Besides all of your dating techniques are based on an already proven false religious assumption.

[JDavis]

Tons. More than I could study. My conclusion was trivially easy to reach. Creationist organizations were either incredibly ignorant or blatantly lying.

Seems only one person is confused, that would be the one claiming to have tons of transitional fossils.

[MarkNigro]

Tons.  More than I could study.  My conclusion was trivially easy to reach.  Creationist organizations were either incredibly ignorant or blatantly lying.

Why don't you give the dates (how many years ago) that the transition creature existed, the ancestor species existed, and the descendant species existed of just one supposed transitional creature.

[Fez]

It's getting a bit personal again everyone. Please argue the subject not the person.

[MarkNigro]

 

Tons.  More than I could study.  My conclusion was trivially easy to reach.  Creationist organizations were either incredibly ignorant or blatantly lying.

Why don't you give the dates (how many years ago) that the transition creature existed, the ancestor species existed, and the descendant species existed of just one supposed transitional creature.

 

The reason for my request for dates will become apparent when I can get an answer. The information must be there to make any claim of any transition creature.