What a diatribe of non scientific obfuscation. Leave science to the Scientists who are prepared to prove their theories. You have the bible to push your 'intelligent design' creationist theory. Be satisfied that it has not been banned as unscientific, non proven propaganda.

I agree completely that we do a disservice to our children by only teaching them the theory of evolution. Evolution is just a theory and somehow it fits in with the scientific approach which is based also on physical evidence. However we know that the physical is only one dimension of our being. For a long time the psychological was dismissed as something lacking substance but evidence has grown that the mind is more then the brain. Now we have evidence to support a spiritual dimension. Our children need to be exposed to these various theories and evidence for and against them. This is true education and true science - the seeking for truth. We have to acknowledge that we are complex beings and science as we know it does not have all the answers. The placebo effect in drug trials alone proves the point that the mind is able to cure and heal as well or sometimes even better then drugs. Evidence of distant healing also proves that we are able to communicate and heal through prayer unexplainable by science. We need to broaden our thinking and be prepared to accomodate other explanations then just the physical. In this is true education and therefore I support ID being taught in schools.

When participating in any debate, and particularly at the start, it is important to be clear on what one is talking about.

The title of Darwin’s book is: “On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection”. Darwin accepted that biological forms had evolved into different forms over eons of time. His theory was how those changes had taken place, how one species separated from another.

Darwin never attempted to explain how living things developed from non-living matter. That is the province of physicists, chemists and astronomers. They all have ideas as to how the stars evolved and how the elements evolved.

To keep referring to “Darwin’s Theory of Evolution” obscures the concept of evolution as a universal process of development of all things.

What can I do with ID? It appears to make no predictions that I can use, or test.

A criticism of the design of the mammalian eye (the retina is the wrong way round, and not attached to the back of the eyeball) is immediately met by a special plead that the intelligence behind its design is beyond our current understanding.

In other words, ID does not even claim that the intelligence used in the design will be recognisable for what it is. This begs the question of whether the proponents of the idea even know what they mean by intelligence.

Science is about constructing theoretical models of the world to aid our understanding of its behaviour. ID is not a model of the world. It is just a totally self contained assertion immune both to disproof and interpretation. It certainly is just creationism dressed up to give the supeficial impression of having a scientific pedigree.

If ID has any role at all in education, it is as an example of the kind of spurious and woolly thinking that abounds in our society.

Sylvia.

We are at an embrionic stage of understanding of these issues, we are only a few hundred years out of survival mode as a species, we are at the same point in our understanding of this as saying 'the world is flat' hundreds of years ago.

We do not know yet as we have scraps of conflicting evidence. Therefore until we know, let theories remain theories. Present them all together, hand in hand at the one time, but evidence will become clear as the world embraces innovation.

Creation has too much logic unfortunately, even for a realist, especially taking the 'god' aspect out of it.

Good post Sylvia, as a student teacher I am looking forward to contrasting ID with the scientific method, and might throw in Norse creation stories and Flying Spaghetti Monsterism for good measure. They have similar merit to Intelligent Design.