“Even though their arguments did not invoke religion, I think we all know what's behind these arguments. They're trying to protect religious beliefs from contradiction by science. They used to do it by prohibiting teachers from teaching evolution at all; then they wanted to teach intelligent design as an alternative theory; now they want the supposed "weaknesses" in evolution pointed out. But it's all the same program - it's all an attempt to let religious ideas determine what is taught in science courses.” ThinkingKnowsWantTryingIdeasWantedUsedCoursesBeliefReligiousBehindsTeachTeacherAtheismTeachingDesignTaughtTheoryEvolutionProtectWeaknessProgramArgumentIntelligentDeterminePositive AtheismAlternativesContradictionReligious BeliefInvokeIntelligent Design Author:Steven Weinberg
“My colleague Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, erroneously suggested that I support the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to biological evolution. That simply is not true. ... Unlike biological evolution, intelligent design is not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has no place in the curriculum of our nation's public school science classes.” SchoolNationsClassSupportAtheismTeachingDesignTheoryEvolutionRepublicanIntelligentPositive AtheismGenuineAlternativesColleaguesPublic SchoolCurriculumPennsylvaniaIntelligent DesignScientific TheoryBiological EvolutionScience Class Author:Edward Kennedy
“Evolution as described by Charles Darwin is an scientific theory, abundantly reconfirmed, explaining physical phenomena by physical causes. Intelligent Design is a faith-based initiative in rhetorical argument. Should we teach I.D. in America's public schools? Yes, let's do - not as science, but alongside other spiritual beliefs, such as Islam, Zoroastrianism and the Hindu Idea that Earth rests on Chukwa, the giant turtle.” ShouldIdeasSchoolEarthAmericaSpiritualBeliefCausesTeachDesignTheoryEvolutionArgumentIntelligentIslamGiantsInitiativeExplainingPublic SchoolTurtlesIntelligent DesignScientific TheoryRhetoricalFaith BasedSpiritual Beliefs Author:David Quammen
“"Methodological naturalism" and "metaphysical naturalism" are terms that often surface in the continuing battle between evolutionary biology and creationism/intelligent design. The methodological thesis says that scientific theories shouldn't postulate supernatural entities; the metaphysical thesis says that no such entities exist. In this debate, God is the supernatural entity at issue; the question isn't whether science gets to talk about mathematical entities if Platonism is correct.” IfsTermIssuesDesignTheoryBattleIntelligentSurfaceDebateMathematicalBiologyEntityContinuingMetaphysicalNaturalismThesisCreationismIntelligent DesignScientific TheoryEvolutionary Biology Author:Elliott Sober