orthogonal opponents
From the New York Times: Celeste Biever, a reporter for
NewScientist, is reporting from the Dover, PA trial pitting the local school
board against parents who object to "intelligent design" being recognized as
scientific by their public schools. She finds that
When you put intelligent design up against evolution ... "It's not a head-on collision between two scientific arguments; it's orthogonal," with the opponents coming at each other from right angles.
Interviewing a local pastor who considers
evolution a lie, she has a little
fun.
Indeed, we are faced with two world-views that have hardly any points of contact, much less agreement. It appears that the only thing we can do is outvote them. But what happens when they get really frustrated?
The chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, Richard Thompson, is representing the anti-science school board. He used to be a Michigan prosecutor, who unsuccessfully tried repeatedly to convict Dr. Kevorkian. He told the Times reporter that he
In other words, if they are 86% of the population, their world-view, not science, should be taught in science classes.
The Guardian, bemusedly, notes that 64% of the U.S. public was found to be open to teaching creationism as well as evolution in public schools, and 38% favored replacing evolution with creationism. One out of five adults thinks the sun revolves around the earth, and 80% believe the government is hiding evidence of space aliens.
What happens when these folks really start to get angry about being considered "second-class citizens"?
"You want half-bird, half-fish?" she asked, drawing a dotted line on her notepad.
"Yeah, why not," the pastor said.
Later, out of the pastor's hearing, Ms. Biever said with fascination, "He thinks evolution is a bird turning into a fish turning into a rabbit" - one straight line of common descent, instead of a tree with common roots.
Ms. Biever was finding that she could not cover the trial the way she would a classic courtroom face-off.
Indeed, we are faced with two world-views that have hardly any points of contact, much less agreement. It appears that the only thing we can do is outvote them. But what happens when they get really frustrated?
The chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, Richard Thompson, is representing the anti-science school board. He used to be a Michigan prosecutor, who unsuccessfully tried repeatedly to convict Dr. Kevorkian. He told the Times reporter that he
founded the law center to defend Christians who he thought were losing the culture wars. The center was initially financed by Thomas Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza. Both men are Roman Catholics.
"There are two worldviews that are in conflict," Mr. Thompson said. "I do feel that even though Christians are 86 percent of the population, they have become second-class citizens."
In other words, if they are 86% of the population, their world-view, not science, should be taught in science classes.
The Guardian, bemusedly, notes that 64% of the U.S. public was found to be open to teaching creationism as well as evolution in public schools, and 38% favored replacing evolution with creationism. One out of five adults thinks the sun revolves around the earth, and 80% believe the government is hiding evidence of space aliens.
What happens when these folks really start to get angry about being considered "second-class citizens"?
Posted: Sun - October 2, 2005 at 06:13 PM | |
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Published On: Dec 09, 2005 10:19 PM
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Published On: Dec 09, 2005 10:19 PM
