I majored in biology in university and I focused in the areas of evolution and the evolution of animal behaviour. I've always been interested in ongoing creationsim vs. evolution debate that still rages, mainly in the U.S.
Anyhow, I find intelligent design particularly disheartening, since it's being touted as scientific and many states are requiring that it must be taught in the science classroom alongside evolution. There is no way to scientifically test whether or not an "intelligent designer" is behind life so please don't call it a "science". I found an excellent critique of intelligent design in the New Yorker. Thankfully, I teach science in Canada, where I don't have to worry that I'll be required to teach ID. Phew.
On the lighter side of ID, here's a really funny article from The Onion and one from the Toronto Star. The article from the Star is written by Linwood Barclay who postulates that theory of "unintelligent design" could very well explain Dubya et al. I'd recommend going to the trouble of subscribing to the Star's website (it's free) just so you can read Barclay's columns. They're usually pretty freaking hilarious.
Oh, and here is a picture of Harriet the Tortoise who I saw at the Australia Zoo (home of Steve Irwin, the infamous Crocodile Hunter). She's 174 or so years old and is the oldest living animal in captivity. Charles Darwin himself brought her from the Galapagos to England and somehow she's now in Steve Irwin's hands. I bet you she does not support the theory of intelligent design either.
p.s. Tonight I'm going to what I think is a rather strange event. I'll blog about it after the fact. This post script is just a teaser.
3 comments:
Evolution all of the way. I find evolution the most fascinating subject in biology, and have since I was a kid and completely fascinated by dinosaurs. In university, I got my highest mark in my evolution class; it was even higher than my "World Popular Music Course"!
Right now there are two types of creationism. There is "old school" creationism, where people believe the Bible literally and therefore believe the Earth is a few thousand years old and species don't chage.
What is becoming more popular, as evidenced by Bush's statements and recent educational reforms in some States, is the "theory of intelligent design". In my opinion, this is still basically creationism, albeit with some allowances for species being able to change and an older Earth etc. However, the main idea behind intelligent design is that an "intelligent creator" is behind the origin of life because life is too complex to be explained by the theory of evolution.
The reason why I reject intelligent design as a science, is because there is no way to prove (or disprove) this theory, since it hinges on the existence of a supernatural being. It's not that I don't believe there's a supernatural being, I just believe that science and religion are different spheres. Science is looking to explain the material world, whereas religion is used to explain the supernatural world. Stephen Jay Gould has a great book called "Rock of Ages" which explains how science and religion can coexist comfortably.
Many evolutionists are religious. And many religious people believe in evolution (for example Pope John Paul II stated that the Catholic Church accepts evolution). It's just that science and religion are separate fields.
So long story short, I heart Darwin!
Very cool pic! I love seeing all of the Australian Wildlife :D
I'm glad you do! If you check my July achive, I posted more Australian pics then. I'll post more later for you.
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