The
Creation Explanation
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Appendix F |
The How and Why of Teaching Origins Interpretations and Theories in the Public Schools A. The Present Treatment of Origins Is Wrong 1. Evolutionary interpretations and theories are taught:
2. This is wrong because:
B. How It Should Be Done 1. The observable, reproducible scientific data should be clearly distinguished from theories, interpretations and speculative historical scenarios. 2. Students should understand that in interpreting scientific data:
3. The assumptions basic to each interpretation should be clearly understood. They are:
4. Both of these opposed ways of looking at the world are assumptions or beliefs. Neither can be proved conclusively by science to be either right or wrong. They are faith propositions grounded in two mutually contradictory philosophical views of the world. 5. It is very important to distinguish carefully between assumptions, observed reproducible data, theories and speculative scenarios. 6. Competing interpretations and theories should be critically evaluated in science. This means that both their weaknesses and strengths should be examined in the light of assumptions, data and logic. In particular, students should have access in the classroom to information in the secular scientific literature which reveals the weaknesses, difficulties and failures of evolutionary theories. 7. No interpretation or theory of origins should be taught as a fact of earth history unless it can be proved, demonstrated conclusively to be factual. 8. Students should have the opportunity to introduce and place alternative interpretations in competition, in classroom discussion and debate, as well as in special research papers written from an alternative perspective. 9. Students should be charged with the intellectual responsibility of assessing the relative merits of the two sets of assumptions (given in 3, a-b, above), in the light of pertinent scientific data and logical arguments. 10. Each student should be left free to come to a personal decision as to which explanation of origins, evolution or creation, is preferred, superior or correct. |