Podcasts in the intelligent design controversy

Gordy Slack,author of author of The Battle Over the Meaning of Everything: Evolution, Intelligent Design, and a School Board in Dover, PA, shares his personal views on intelligent design and the socio-political implications of the ID-evolution debate. I am told

Luskin’s interview with Slack is illuminating and thought-provoking as they compare their experience at the infamous Dover trial, and while they disagree on the issues, this remains a fruitful dialogue worth listening to.

I long ago thought the whole Dover thing completely stupid, but I never had to deal with it in any detail because I was writing furiously to a strict schedule for a book, The Spiritual Brain.

Still, I may as well say what I think now: Teachers should never be given a statement to read to their classes (as was the case in Dover), unless it addresses an administrative matter: Like the exact time at which a regulation fire drill will be called or the right of the administration (at any time) to open and search private lockers that may contain prohibited materials, or that the school flag is at half mast today because of the death of ... .

And so forth. In my view, such messages should never be about philosophical issues like whether the universe shows evidence of intelligent design. That is a violation of the teacher’s right as a professional to instruct the class. Teaching is what happens after you get past all that other stuff.

I am also told that, in Texas, board chair Don McLeroy has some interesting things to say about Texas science standards. Dr. McLeroy addresses the fact (which should really not be news to anyone) that there are really serious current controversies over evolution.

As one who has written plenty of curriculum material myself, I would advise avoiding dogma. This is a time for exploration, not dogma. It is okay to say that we simply do not know the answer to a lot of questions right now.

Oh and this just in: Here's some info on the Cambrian explosion (of life forms) which shows why long, slow Darwinian evolution is nonsense.

Believe that if you want, sucker, but I would not take your money out of principle. Wrong to take it from stupid people.

Find out why there is an intelligent design controversy: