I propose Q from Star Trek invented the universe. Since we should teach evolution and intelligent design and let the kids decide and we cant prove evolution or intelligent design, can we also teach that Q invented the universe?
Should the children decide?
2006-10-01 16:09:00 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
While I am open to your proposal of Q having invented the universe, I must disagree as I am certain that the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. Q was probably just his admin assistant.
2006-10-01 16:12:39 · answer #1 · answered by lokimadhouse 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the children should not decide. And science is supposed to be taught in science class, not religion. The purpose of teaching science is not just "this is what photosynthesis is", it's to teach children logic and the scientific method. Religion is, by definition, outside of science and alogical. _Not_ illogical. I mean, the existence or not of God is not something you can prove or disprove. Science does not attempt to even examine it.
Creationism is also outside of science. Creationists themselves often agree that you can't prove it. Of course not- it's a theory that involves God as a principle agent. You can't prove or disprove God. Therefore, it has absolutely no place in a science classroom. Science is just not broad enough of a discipline to cover it. That's why creationism belongs in a religions or philosophy class- those are disciplines created to actually deal with the existence of God.
Oh, and to the person below who responded to my post: of course the theory of evolution is not proven by any scientific definition. In science, _no_ theory is ever proven. A theory is the explanation of how a thing works. It can never be proven because you could always find new evidence or new explanations that better fit the evidence. Einstein's theory of relativity is not proven. Neither is Newton's theory of gravitation. Gravity exists, demonstrably, but the idea of how it all works remains open to tweaking. This is how science remains open to new ideas and avoids becoming mired in dogma. It works, too- since Newton's theories were still open to debate, it wasn't a problem for scientists to accept Einstein's new theories at the beginning of the last century. Four centuries of saying, "This is how the world works", and the entire scientific community gave that up when they saw how Einstein's theory better fit the available data.
So, yes, the theory of evolution- that is, the way in which evolution works- is a scientific theory. Evolution itself exists, though, just as gravity exists.
2006-10-01 23:18:40 · answer #2 · answered by random6x7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Random's answer is very telling. I mean what are you evolutionists so afraid of? Evolution, no matter how much you try to deny it, IS a faith. Even staunch evolutionists will agree, that much of what they "believe" is based on suppositions, maybes, could be's, etc. If they truly believe it, thats fine. But it is NOT a proven theory, by any scientific definition. Children should not be made to even be "culturally" illiterate. They need to know that there is a controversy, and hear both sides. When their are differing "opinions" even about historic events, the children are taught it. If evolution is such a scientific fact, then I don't know why they are so scared of it being scrutinized.
2006-10-01 23:29:11 · answer #3 · answered by Coco 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a science class we should present to the children everything that is well supported by SCIENTIFIC evidence, especially any theory that is currently the best possible SCIENTIFIC explanation for the observed facts. For example, we cannot "prove" to anyone that atoms exist, since no-one has ever seen an atom. However, atomic THEORY is the best explanation we have for the observed interactions of chemical substances, and it would be a pretty poor science class if we withheld information about atoms because atoms are "only a theory".
2006-10-01 23:49:00 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The children do get to decide... if thier parents haven't already instilled thier beliefs in them. I was taught both creationism AND evolution in school.... I chose my own path because of it. Evolution is based on fact and many aspects of it can be proven, for example recently discovered Nylon-eating bacteria .... nylon didnt exist until we produced it and nylon-eating bacteria would not have existed before then... otherwise what would they have eaten? The reason (after being given my own choice) that I chose to disbelieve in religion is because I just don't believe in something unsupported by scientific fact... it has nothing to do with evolution.... that is entirely seperate. I accept evolution because of the evidence, I dont accept religion because of the lack of evidence. However I do not discount the possibility of God, but I know evolution occurs and so if in the future the existence of God is proven I will know that he created evolution....
2006-10-01 23:25:37 · answer #5 · answered by Kelly + Eternal Universal Energy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your children get to decide if you teach them that Q concocted the universe. However, in science class, the only thing that should be taught is scientific theory, which has to be refutable. If it's not refutable, it ain't science, and Intelligent Design advocates cannot give me any way that we can test to see if it's true.
2006-10-01 23:28:50 · answer #6 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the children shouldn't decide what is taught. We should present ALL sides to them, and "teach the controversy". That means that they should get science on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Flying Spaghetti Monsterism on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays they can skip class and eat fish.
2006-10-01 23:11:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In some ways I don't believe it would make much difference to the way things already seem to be. You'd have some that would believe a deity created everything, some that would believe in evolution and some who would believe it to be a mix of the two. That's basically what you get now anyways.
2006-10-01 23:13:46 · answer #8 · answered by genaddt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah I definetly agree.. I mean this country is freedom of religion right? So you can't force someone to study about something thats not really useful to them in the future. They should have the right to choose.
2006-10-01 23:13:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if they're allowed to decide on what should be studied in maths, English, etc.
Just give them the truth & they can sort out their own beliefs. Don't confuse science with faith, it doesn't work.
2006-10-01 23:17:18 · answer #10 · answered by J9 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋