Wednesday, November 09, 2005
KANSAS LEGITIMIZES 'INTELLIGENT DESIGN', LAUGHING-STOCK STATUS TO FOLLOW
The Mailbox is wondering what the hell is going on in Kansas.
That state's school board has paved the way for mysticism and high priests to replace science and teachers, thanks to the shystering and slick-talking of creation-scientists.
With a 6-4 vote yesterday, the board approved a new set of science standards that encourage criticism of evolultionary theory. Through a strategic set of redefitions, the new standards (PDF attachment) now put the theory of intelligent design—a non-testable, too-obvious explanation of our origins—on par with more than 150 years of scientific work.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius called Tuesday's action "the latest in a series of troubling actions by the board: "If we are going to continue to bring high-tech jobs to Kansas and move our state forward, we need to strengthen science standards, not weaken them," she told Steve Painter of the Wichita Eagle.
Let's see what Webster says: "science," noun. The state of knowing: Knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding. What's wrong with that definition, Kansas?
Intelligent design is not a viable scientific option to teach alongside evolution. When kids study evolution in schools, they learn about scientific theory, they learn about Darwin's arduous work identifying common characteristics in species, genetics and the mountains of evidence—literally, riddled with fossils. All intelligent design has is a "no-shit-Sherlock" thought.
Science is not out to replace religion. Science fills in gaps with testing, experiments and theories. What's next, creation-scientists? Will you convince Kansas to stop teaching about Newton's theories of physical motion and gravity, replacing it with Holy Velcro?
As for the Kansas board members, their political future is in jeopardy, as evidenced by what happened to Dover, Penn. board members who also supported intelligent design as a scientific theory.
Missouri legislators were smart enough to realize that intelligent design is not science in 2003. Let's hope they stay that way.
The Mailbox is wondering what the hell is going on in Kansas.
That state's school board has paved the way for mysticism and high priests to replace science and teachers, thanks to the shystering and slick-talking of creation-scientists.
With a 6-4 vote yesterday, the board approved a new set of science standards that encourage criticism of evolultionary theory. Through a strategic set of redefitions, the new standards (PDF attachment) now put the theory of intelligent design—a non-testable, too-obvious explanation of our origins—on par with more than 150 years of scientific work.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius called Tuesday's action "the latest in a series of troubling actions by the board: "If we are going to continue to bring high-tech jobs to Kansas and move our state forward, we need to strengthen science standards, not weaken them," she told Steve Painter of the Wichita Eagle.
Let's see what Webster says: "science," noun. The state of knowing: Knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding. What's wrong with that definition, Kansas?
Intelligent design is not a viable scientific option to teach alongside evolution. When kids study evolution in schools, they learn about scientific theory, they learn about Darwin's arduous work identifying common characteristics in species, genetics and the mountains of evidence—literally, riddled with fossils. All intelligent design has is a "no-shit-Sherlock" thought.
Science is not out to replace religion. Science fills in gaps with testing, experiments and theories. What's next, creation-scientists? Will you convince Kansas to stop teaching about Newton's theories of physical motion and gravity, replacing it with Holy Velcro?
As for the Kansas board members, their political future is in jeopardy, as evidenced by what happened to Dover, Penn. board members who also supported intelligent design as a scientific theory.
Missouri legislators were smart enough to realize that intelligent design is not science in 2003. Let's hope they stay that way.
// posted by MoJoe @ 10:10 
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]