There is no need to patronise young people: if they
have been taught to think and question authority of any kind at an early
age, they are perfectly able to weigh one argument against another.
(snip)
What they do need to be told is that there are conflicting philosophies
out there competing for their minds. Then they need to be presented with
the objective evidence: the facts of mutation and heredity; the fossil
record with all its gaps and mysteries; the basis for the calculations
about the age of the universe and the earth (including all the
assumptions); comparative embryology etc. They also need to be taught
some history of science, so that they can understandthe background to
the struggle for power between the competing philosophies; perhaps some
basic ideas from Popper and Kuhn and others; certainly a mention of the
work of David Bohm and Rupert Sheldrake. They should also be made
familiar with creation myths from around the world and with the history
of human consciousness reflected in the changing beliefs about mankind's
relationship to both the natural and the spiritual worlds. Only then
might they have a chance to make up their own minds in freedom.
(snip)
If the position of evolution science were based on hard evidence, one
might have to accept that this is the best they could do. What Phillip
Johnson and others are trying to point out is that evolution science is
conceptually and evidentially flawed and doesn't actually have much of a
leg to stand on.
(snip)
This is not the time for appeasement. Evolution science must be called
to account wherever and whenever it makes unsupported claims. It must be
challenged repeatedly to prove its case. It has been allowed to get away
with murder - the murder of objectivity, logical thinking and an honest
appraisal of the evidence - for far too long.
(end)
As a science teacher in a public high school, I too have faith that
young people will be able to weigh arguments and come to logical
conclusions if presented with a complete set of data on both sides of an
issue. To that end I am working on a curriculum rewrite for our general
biology course that is to examine evolutionary theory as an exercise in
critical thinking. The format will be to present the textbook (Prentice
Hall) theory and evidence for evolution along with evidence which
directly challenges the theory.
Since I lack formal training in evolution I would like to get ideas from
the group.
What I am searching for is evidence and activities that make sense to a
16 year old and contradict standard evolutionary explainations for:
1) the age of the earth
2) the fossil record - including the horse "series"
3) comparitive embryology
4) homology
5) vestigal structures
6) comparitive biochemistry
7) dating and classification of hominid "series"
Please respond to me directly or post here for further discussion.
Warren Kooi