> From: "Rick Adams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: darwinian slip and a thought
>
> Jim wrote:
>
> > Although, the reflexive response of "why this is not good science"
> > immediately steers the discussion in a negative direction.
>
> Do you apply that same criteria to discussions of "why sexism is wrong"
> or "why is racism not a good practice?" When we come to topics such as
> that, no one particularly cares if we take a negative direction with
> them--why should the very dishonest and flawed "science" present in
> creationist claims be treated any differently?
THat's a really good point, but don't you think sexism and racism are in a
different category, mostly because there seems to be a consensus in our
culture that sexist and racist ideologies are harmful?
Religion, on the other hand, rarely yields a consensus, even within a
particular religious community (e.g., capital punishment comes to mind).
For the record, I rarely find anything in the classroom to be dogmatic about,
and I try to stay away from discussions I feel overly passionate about, unless
it really needs to be covered. I guess that's an advantage of teaching in a
low-consensus field -- you can throw out some different points of views and
let the students chew on them.
> The very insistence of "religious folk" that their personal beliefs be
> taught in schools is reason ENOUGH to "take some more whacks" at them.
How nice
> Creationism is a religious belief, not in even the remotest manner a
> scientific theory--the insistence that our students be taught such a
> subject and that it be treated with the same deference as a sound and well
> researched scientific concept is offensive to ANY teacher who cares about
> scientific accuracy in the classroom.
I never said it should necessarily be treated with the same deference as a
sound and well researched scientific concept. I certainly understand your
objections.
Maybe you're right -- maybe there are just some things that just can't be
integrated into the classroom.
On the other hand, it seems that non-religious scientists are free to ignore,
even trample over religious beliefs, even to the point where they begin to
teach science as something completely accurate and fool-proof.
************************************************************************
Jim Guinee, Ph.D.
Director of Training & Adjunct Professor
President, Arkansas College Counselor Association
University of Central Arkansas Counseling Center
313 Bernard Hall Conway, AR 72035 USA
(501) 450-3138 (office) (501) 450-3248 (fax)
"FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
It comes bundled with the software."
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