NO: Brian Christian, principal at Liverpool College
Truth in Science is not truth and not science
I AM intrigued by the stance taken by the Truth in Science protagonists, and was certainly interested to read the materials publicised to schools in their in- formation pack. Intrigued and in- terested, but far from convinced.
The crux of their argument seems to be that Darwin's reliance on the fossil record is open to question, and that GCSE science pupils should be made aware of alternative theories for mankind's eventual appearance on the planet. This might be acceptable if those alternative theories were based on hard scientific evidence or, indeed, any scientific evidence at all.
There is no doubt that a fundamental function of education is to encourage young people to ask questions, and it is self-evident that successive generations in a wide range of fields of human knowledge have made significant advances by putting the perceived "truths" of their forebears to the test. But a society that shuts its eyes to the evidence of observable fact is destined to go backwards.
Across the world, there is growing concern in the scientific community that some children are not being taught the basic facts on evolution and the nature of genuine scientific enquiry. In June of this year, a statement signed by 67 national science academies expressed the fear that evidence on the origins of life was being "concealed, denied or confused" in some schools. The statement listed several key facts that science has never contradicted, including the formation of the Earth at least 4.5bn years ago, and the onset of life 2bn years later.
Since life first appeared on Earth it has taken many forms, all of which continue to evolve. There are shared elements in the genetic code of all living organisms, including humans, that clearly indicate their primordial origin. The creationist advocates of the theory of intelligent design have every right to point to the flaws in Darwin's theory of evolution and to question the gaps in the fossil record. They have no right to present an alternative view based on little more than a wish and a prayer, and they have no right to call it science.
I can see no place for the teaching of this material in the science classroom. I want the students in my school to ask questions, to challenge established truths, but I want them to do so with their eyes wide open, not blindfolded by a well-meaning but misguided interpretation of scripture.
Intelligent design is not truth and it is certainly not science.
News RSS Feed