• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Intelligent Design and Science Don't Mix

Posted on: Thursday, 3 November 2005, 12:00 CST

AFTER GOING on record claiming that intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution, President Bush's pandering to the religious right has obviously gone too far.

Intelligent design is not science. True scientific theory is testable, using the scientific method. An observation is made, a testable hypothesis to explain the observation is developed, and tests are performed.

If the hypothesis passes the test, it is considered a valid theory. The scientific method does not have a clause stating, "if the theory cannot be explained by testing, just claim that some indefinable/unidentifiable source caused the observed phenomena."

By invoking intelligent design, a variable is added that cannot be tested. Perhaps intelligent design has a place in a comparative religion class but it does not belong in a science classroom or textbook.

We need to call intelligent design what it really is: Another attempt to limit the teaching of evolution and get Christian teaching into the public school system.

It is confounding that the people touting intelligent design claim to explain the basis of humankind but still haven't grasped the First Amendment.

Brian A. Powell

Berkeley

Write to us

Write to The Tribune or the Times-Star at 401 13th St., Oakland 94612. Phone: 208-6409. Fax: 208-6477. E-mail triblet@angnewspapers.com (no attachments, please).

Please confine letters to 250 words, My Words to 550 words. Please include your full name, city of residence and daytime phone number. Thank you.

Source: Oakland Tribune

More News in this Category