dinosaur science

[tidwell@ix.netcom.com (Virginia Tidwell )]

before, rarely in so reasonable a manner.  **Why not teach creation 
science alongside evolutionary science in the classroom - any 
semi-intelligent person will choose evolution?**  If Tom had asked this 
question on the Talk Origins Usenet (where it belongs), he would have 
been bombarded with irrational replies both pro and con to his 
suggestion.  That is the nature of this particular question.  While 
seeming so reasonable, it actually covers a wide range of underlying 
questions about the nature of science and our individual world views.  
  Most of the people in the scientific community consider the 
historical sciences (paleontology, archeology, astronomy,etc) to be 
dealing with testable hypothoses that are always open to revision.  
Ninty percent of the material presented as **creation science** does 
not fall under this catagory, as the ideas presented can almost never 
be tested.  While testability or falsifiability alone can never be the 
sole criteria for accepting or rejecting an idea, they do provide 
strong guidelines. (no, I'm not opening up the arguement on 
falsifiability again, these are my personal opinions only.)

As for Tom's hope that any intelligent person would choose evolutionary 
theory over creation science, I fear that he does not realise the poor 
level of science awareness among the general public.  I know many 
people who believe creation science to be true, who are also highly 
skectical of all scientific concepts.  Their ideas are based on 
theology, not science and no amount of rational arguement will change 
their minds. That is their perogative.  A recent poll indicated that 
about 40 percent of the population of the U.S. believes in some kind of 
creation, rather than in a mechanistic evolutionary origin to life.  I 
am very concerned that presenting creation in pseudo-scientific jargon 
will only further erode the ability of the general public to make 
critical judgments between what may appear to be two equally valid 
ideas. 

If anyone would like to discuss this topic further with me, please 
e-mail me so that we do not clutter the list too much.

            respectfully,
              Virginia Tidwell