Re: Field Museum redux

[Rich Travsky <RTRAVSKY@UWYO.EDU>]

On Fri, 1 Sep 1995, Ellin Beltz wrote:
> [...]
> 
> As far as the teaching of "creation science" or mentioning it in the 
> classroom before or after evolution...  My personal opinion (and I expect 
> to be flamed for it) is that --everything-- relating to evolution should 
> be taught.  The arguments for and the arguments against (no matter how 
> absurd) deserve a place in the dialog.  Censorship of ideas (no matter 
> how absurd they are) is --wrong--.  
> 
> Let the students hear all sides.  If the bio teacher is a good one, the 
> arguments in favor vs. the arguments against should resolve themselves in 
> the students' minds leaving them more capable of rational thought, 
> logical discussion, and an interest in learning.
> 
> Controversy is an excellent teacher's aide.  It makes the subject matter 
> far more interesting than "here it is, this is fact, now - regurgitate!"
No no no no no no no. No. Creationism is pseudo science, pure and simple.
Not to be taught as an alternate point of view. This is not a 
philosophy discourse, where many points of view can co-exist. Science
is taught on a foundation of facts derived by research and experimentation.
I've yet to see a creationist experiment.

If creationism appears in the classroom at all, it should be in the
role of pseudo science, as an endeavor to make facts fit a foregone 
scenario.

>  [...]

+----------+    Rich Travsky   RTRAVSKY @ UWYO . EDU
|          |    Division  of  Information  Technology
|          |    University of Wyoming   (307) 766 - 3663 / 3668
|       UW |    "Wyoming is the capital of Denver." - a tourist
|        * |    "One of those square states." - another tourist
+----------+    http://plains.uwyo.edu/~rtravsky/