Missed me? lol, I doubt it...anyway, how many of you were taught evolution as fact in public school?

Question

Hey, I'm back, yeah, been gone a while if you havent' noticed.

anyway how many of you were taught evolution as fact in public school? I was, and though, it mentions about ONCE in the biology book I had that evolution was a theory, it taught it as fact.

Why won't they teach other theories too? any bright ideas, or are you confused by the lack of logic of the liberals who run our school systems?

As you know, if everyone was logical, there would be no liberals...ok that's my opinion, but plz answer the question!!!

thanks so much!!!

Answer 1

I was home-schooled.
Most public schools are crap. I´m surprised they teach anything.

--Buddhist.

Answer 2

Why don't you teach religion as a theory? Religion is taught as a fact. Why can't religious types handle discussing religion as a theory?

You make the mistake of many lay people in assuming that because something is a theory, the is no evidence to show it is true. We experience gravity everyday. While it is commonly called the law of gravity, it is still a theory. If new evidence comes to light that gravity doesn't work in certain circumstances, then gravity is clearly not a law that works everywhere.

If everyone was logical, then everyone would be liberals. You are not using your logic. You are threatened by other ideas that conflict with your religion. Alas, there is no proof that God exists. You cannot experiment on God. If you wish to believe in God, then there is nothing in science to tell you you are either right or wrong. But, science deals in grays not the absolute blacks and whites of religions. Many people cannot handle this. They need the absolutes. But, this is not a rational thought. It is an emotional need.

The simple fact that you have to come on here to attack the "liberals" shows your insecurity. It shows that you are unsure about your God. If you were sure, then you would not feel threatened by science, evolution, or liberals.

Answer 3

I was taught evolution as a theory. I was taught the theory of gravity, the theory of germ infection, the theory of atoms, etc all as theory. I was also taught the difference between theory and fact, and between someone saying 'I have a theory', and a scientific theory.

A fact is a confirmed observation. A theory is an explanation for a fact that is confirmed through additional observation.

It is fact (i.e. observed) that life evolves. It is theory that life changes (or evolves) through gradual mutation.

Therefore, evolution is both fact and theory.

There is no teaching of alternate theories because of two reasons:
1) There is no true alternate "theories". Theories require empirical and testable observations to confirm the accuracy of a theory. Creationism and ID are not theories, as they are not empirical or testable, because they cite an almighty God who can do whatever He wants, which can explain away any conflicting data.
2) Creationism and ID have not passed scientific scrutiny. They are not sequitur to the evidence laid out. Indeed, there are many pieces of evidence that should not be observed if Creationism is true, yet are observed readily.

Answer 4

Teaching evolution as a fact is not wrong. Evolution is true. Science has proven that it is true. What most people have a problem with is that religious groups do not like to think that we evolved from anything, including apes. They shouldn't teach religion in a science class because there is no scientific evidence to support it. What they should do is have a religion class and in that class they talk about all the different religions and their individual beliefs in a non-biased, factual way. Science should be left alone to teach the beliefs of scientists. Now, a teacher who says the bible is wrong is an idiot, because that teacher's opinions are not supposed to be expressed. Teacher's are not supposed to disclose their political beliefs and I believe they should do the same about their religious beliefs. It should be non-biased. Schools should present the facts and then leave the individual to make up their own mind.

Answer 5

I was also taught the meaning of the word theory in science, as opposed to the meaning of the word in popular use. It's quite different. Evolution is a fact and a theory.

As for 'liberals' who run your schools, are you not aware that evolution is taught in schools in the rest of the world? The difference is that the only the US has a vocal minority who want schools to teach their mythology as fact.

Answer 6

I was taught the Theory of Evolution. And they DO teach other theories: Gravity, Cell Theory, Molecular Theory, Germ Theory.

Many theories are taught in science and biology class in public schools.

Answer 7

Theory, when used in science, does not mean the same thing theory usually does.

Gravity is also a theory. The "Theory of gravity"

But you know gravity is real. It is a fact, the same as evolution.


"In scientific usage, a theory does not mean an unsubstantiated guess or hunch, as it can in everyday speech. A theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of natural or social phenomena. It originates from or is supported by experimental evidence (see scientific method). In this sense, a theory is a systematic and formalized expression of all previous observations which is predictive, logical and testable. As such, scientific theories are essentially the equivalent of what everyday speech refers to as facts."

Answer 8

Does the Bible mention Electricity? See "ELEMENTARY THEORY OF ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM" : http://www.qsl.net/vu2msy/elementary_theory_of_electricity.htm

What Is "Electricity"? : http://amasci.com/miscon/whatis.html

Just because a thing is labeled a theory doesn't mean that it lacks credibility.

Quote: John Paul II : http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/vaticanview.html
When the pope came to the subject of the scientific merits of evolution, it soon became clear how much things had changed in the nearly since the Vatican last addressed the issue. John Paul said: "Today, almost half a century after publication of the encyclical, new knowledge has led to the recognition of the theory of evolution as more than a hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has been progressively accepted by researchers, following a series of discoveries in various fields of knowledge. The convergence, neither sought nor fabricated, of the results of work that was conducted independently is in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory."

TMD

Answer 9

That was the theory behind most of the BioScience texts I encountered; most facts from palentology and ongoing study of extant species supported that theory. Of course, back during Ezra's term as High Priest, the editors of the Torah didn't have modern science at their disposal, so the whole processes of both Genesis 1; 2:1-3 and Genesis 2:4ff were black-box prehistory to them.

In any case, the Bible's compilers knew that the procedures that the Sovereign LORD of Hosts used to create the universe as we know it were unknowable in terms of time scale as well as methods, and therefore also black-box events. Darwin was trying to piece together the evidence of these procedures when he wrote his thesis "The Origin of Species," since invalidated by new discoveries at the microscopic level. No wonder, therefore, that the Psalmist wrote that, in the eyes of the LORD, "a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day."

Answer 10

I now feel a need for national standardized testing. We were actually taught the theory of evolution in biology, big bang in physics, and several creation myths in literature. Until recently, I would have never guessed that some one living in an industrial nation would hold onto a creation story.

Answer 11

I was taught evolution as a theory that had substantial physical evidence backing it (this was in the early 80's so it was not an accepted fact). But I was not taught this in public school it was in Catholic School.

To the last opinion: Studies show the higher education you receive (post graduate) the more likely you are to be liberal.