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Evolution Of Science Classes At School
Being raised in a Christian family, I have attended Catholic school my whole life. That being said, I have grown up studying Bible stories since before
I can remember. Probably the most prominent and well–known of these stories in Christian theology is, of course, the story of creation. To this day, I
still remember how the story goes. On the first day, God created the earth and daylight. For six days after, he continued creation and included the sky,
the ocean, plants, animals, and humans. Growing up, I always believed in a literal interpretation of this story, and thought everything was created
within an exact week. However, as I got older, I learned about evolution in science classes at school. I soon discovered that many of the ... Show more
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While a large number of people in the scientific field strongly believe in evolution, a group of people known as creationists and creation scientists
seem to disagree. Creationism is the belief that "the biblical record of primeval history in Genesis 1–11 is factual, historical, and clearly understandable
and, therefore, that all things were created and made in six literal days" (Morris). Creationists believe evolution completely contradicts with their
religious beliefs; therefore, they do not agree with it. Creation science is a branch of creationism that focuses on providing scientific reasoning behind
creationism. Creation scientist Jack Wellman describes evolution saying it "presents a world view without God and that there is only 'survival of the
fittest' and that there is no real purpose for mankind." In between evolutionists and creationists falls theistic evolutionists, who believe in both creation
by God and evolution. Since these people interpret the Bible in a metaphoric sense rather than literal, they believe that religious teachings about
creation do not conflict with evolutionary concepts.
For the most part, evolutionists and theistic evolutionists, aka people who believe in evolution, all seem to agree that evolution should be taught in US
public schools. Interestingly enough, I have not yet found someone who is pro–evolution and does not think it should be discussed in the classroom.
However, there are creation scientists who think
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The Battle Of Creationism And Evolutionary Theory
The battle of creationism and evolutionary theory is not a new one. That being said, in order to understand whether creationism has a place in
secondary education, one must first understand the complexity of the matter. Evolution in itself is a theory proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859.
Grossly simplified, the theory states that life evolved from non–life; the concept of descent with modification. This theory arouses conflict because
many Christians believe that it negates the literal interpretation of the biblical creation story. It is from this story that the theory of creationism began.
While some may argue that creationism deserves to be taught alongside evolutionary theory within the science curriculum of secondary schools of a
municipality or state, these individuals are mistaken. Creationism is not a science, therefore by teaching it one violates the first amendment and also
further develops the religious inequality that its supporters argue teaching it creates. There is no place for creationism in the science curriculum within
secondary public education. To begin, the idea that creationism is a science is a troublesome one in itself. According to Creationism.org, the leading
authority on Creation Science, creationism is, "the theory that man, the earth, and the rest of the universe were originally created rather than randomly
exploding from nothingness into chance existence". Science as a practice is not this way. By definition, science is the "knowledge about or
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Should Religious Education Be Public Schools?
I was raised as a catholic for a majority of my life but was completely unaware that Catholics were Christians too. This confusion and lack of
religious knowledge is the norm in the United States. To combat this startling issue some have proposed we have religious education in our schools.
Religion is a taboo issue and turns even more taboo when we involve children. Many oppose the teaching of region in our schools for the simple reason
of separation of church and state. Another reason this is met with resistance would include all the reasons for which religion is frowned upon such as:
crating division amongst people and misunderstandings. However, others argue that religious education is necessary in public schools due to the
immense ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In effect, todays educator should be permitted to cover such topic, providing students with the creationist perspective. For the most part, only evolution
has been given a its proper place. Evolution and creationism should hold the same weight as both present large influences in different aspects of our
lives. Both undermine how we view things and even influences our moral perception. Also, these theories hold major weight In our society, hence
students should be knowledgeable in these areas. Students should be presented with informative unbiased ideas of each to come up with their own
conclusions. To hold a truly dolid educational foundation students must be presented with alternatives to evolution and thus develop the proper
thinking skills. In another poll, conducted by Pew Research revealed that 1 out of three Americans opposed evolution. A large number of those who
refused creationism were evangelicals and Protestants who believe humans have always existed in the form they hold today. A majority of evangelicals
don't agree with the current theory of evolution but rather believe in theistic evolution. Theistic evolution supports the principles of evolution but
involves God. Since the early 1930's, evangelicals have always fought the involvement of
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Creationism and Public Schools Essay example
Creationism and Public Schools
The issue of whether creationism should be taught in public schools, rather than evolution, is a new one. It has only been in the past fifty years that it
has even been in debate. Public school science classes, when discussing the origins of life on Earth, coincided with Sunday school classes. Students
learned that the Earth, universe and everything else was created in seven days, by God, as stated in the Old Testament. It was not until recently with
the rise of scientific reason and equal rights organizations did these teachings become questioned. The argument spurs from each person's personal
belief, and that is where things get complicated. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These principles include a basis in natural law, and science is guided by natural law. Science has to be explanatory by referencing natural law, and
scientific conclusions must lack finality. When they are proven otherwise, they are open to alteration. In a science course, for something to be taught,
as a science, it must follow these guide lines, yet creationism does not. Creation Scientists will not adhere themselves or their beliefs to these rules, and
therefore creationism can not be taught as a science, hence the name "pseudoscience."
The next debate on why creationism should not be taught in schools is based on The First Amendment. The First Amendment states that the government
shall make no laws endorsing or prohibiting any religious believe. Public schools are funded by the government. Requiring the Biblical teachings of
creationism to be taught in school promotes the Christian religion. According to the First Amendment, a public organization that is funded by the
government can not promote one religion over another. For public schools to be able to comply with the First Amendment, they would have to offer
equal time to every religion's view on the creation of life on Earth, which would be impossible and once again, turn a biology class into a theology class.
This idea was also approved by the US Supreme Court, in the 1987 case, Aguillard v. Edwards. In this case, it was
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Should Creation Be Allowed In Public Schools?
School boards across the country are divided over the same issue, as they have been for the last hundred years. Can you guess what it is? The
controversial issue facing teachers and board members today is whether or not creation has a place in the public school systems. I believe that it does,
and it should have an equal representation as evolution in the science classroom. Creation has fact behind it, just as evolution does, and a large number
of the American population agrees with its ideas.
First of all, a large percentage of Americans claim to be creationists. According to a poll that can be found on pewforum.com, about 42% of the
population says that "humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time." Forty–two ... Show more content
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Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, wrote on the organization's website, "If teaching creation were mandated, it would likely be taught poorly
(and possibly mockingly) by a teacher who does not understand what the Bible teaches and who believes in evolution." While Ham does have a point,
leaving one common theory completely out of schools is robbing students of their education. They should at least be taught differing ideas and be able
to make an educated decision of which they might support. I propose that educators be required to give students a list of ideas about origins, or have it
taught by an unbiased and certified teacher.
I firmly believe that creationism should have equal representation as evolution in public schools. As I've said, creation doesn't have complete scientific
fact backing it up, but if almost half of Americans claim to agree with it, creationism should be taught alongside of evolution in the schools. Decide for
yourself: should schools today be welcoming differing ideas and healthy debate, or are educators shutting out valid theories and
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The Lemon Test
The court case resulted in the establishment of a set of legal criteria for determining whether a law violates the Establishment Clause in the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment states that the United States Congress cannot permit
a law that establishes religion or forbids the free speech thereof. This set of legal criteria was later referred to as the "Lemon Test". The Lemon Test
consisted of three rules: "First, the statute must have a secular legislative purpose; second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither
advances nor inhibits religion; finally, the statute must not foster "an excessive government entanglement with religion" (Allison). In 1981, the National
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al v. Roman Stearns et. al. This refusal caused a policy that stated that particular courses from religious high schools were unsatisfactory for admission
to college to remain in effect (American Association of University Professors). In 2012, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam passed a law, which critics
nicknamed the "Monkey Bill", that enabled the teaching of creationism by stating that the teaching of certain scientific subjects, such as the theories of
evolution and creationism, could possibly result in the creation of controversy and that teachers were permitted to assist students in the understanding
and critiquing of objective subjects to strengthen the intelligence and understanding of students (Wing). One year later, the Texas Board of Education
approved the usage of biology textbooks that contained evolutionary content
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Scopes Trial Essay Thesis
The Scopes trial is a standout amongst the most well–known trials in American history. The trial was a lawful case in 1925 in which a substitute high
school teacher, John Scopes, was charged with violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach Darwinism in any state
–financed
school. This trial was a gathering between various polar opposites, for example, Fundamentalism and Modernism. The fundamentalism and modernism
conversion during the Scopes Trial had an extreme impact on the American Education System. The Scopes trial was a trial over a misdemeanor offense
by substitute teacher John Scopes, but it ended up becoming an even huger trial between fundamentalist and modernist. Modernist and fundamentalist
were fighting for control of America's education system and the result of the trial would have a drastic effect on Tennessee's education system. When
the Butler Act was passed in 1925, the ACLU (American Citizens Liberties Union) sent a press discharge to a few Tennessee daily papers, publishing
that they would give legitimate support, and so forth for a teacher in Tennessee who would be eager to stand trial for having taught Darwinism in a
government funded school so an experiment could be mounted to test the established legitimacy of the Act. A gathering of citizens in the residential
area of Dayton acknowledged ACLU 's offer, with the expectation that the exposure encompassing the trial would help to switch the town 's declining
fortunes. The group
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The Importance Of Creationism In Schools
Creationism does not explain how the earth was created, therefore it should not be taught as a science and should not be taught in schools. My thesis
is important, because schools are trying to stop teaching evolution because they believe it is not the way life on earth started. The teaching of
evolution in schools is important, because it teaches students the correct reason for how life on earth started. The articles that I collected for my
research, where academic journals from the library data base and had a stand point towards science. My paper will give the reader a broader view point
on why creationism should not be taught in schools and how evolution should remain in schools.
Creationism has been a controversial topic in our school systems and schools in some states are fighting to have it taught instead of evolution as a
science. Creationism is the belief that all living organisms originated from a biblical process instead of evolution. We will never really know how the
earth was created, but by the use of science, we can get a better understanding of it. Therefore creationism should not be taught as a science and should
not be taught in school. The teachers are the people that have to deal with this topic the most because of all the pressure they get from school
administrators, parents and the community. Some science teachers have been told not to teach about evolution, but they did it nevertheless. One of the
most famous cases was the
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The Public Schooling System Is Not The Same Since
The public schooling system is not the same since they have been dwindling down the right for religion to be in schools. Religion needs to be put
back into the school system so then maybe people will be more informed on things out in the real world. I am not saying that it needs to be a required
course, however, give students the opportunity to learn about it. Among just making it a course in itself one course it could be reintroduced to is the
science class. They talk about evolution but yet they do not teach about creationism. In history classes they can reintroduce religion because important
religious facts (like Martin Luther King Jr. being a black priest) have been taken out of school text books so people do not get offended. When I
say religion needs to be put back in the schooling system I mean most religions that are in the world today and not just Christianity. Students would
do a lot better in school if there was some sort of religious class being taught. I understand that schools cannot teach just any one religion legally
because people in today 's world are taking the first amendment to seriously. However, if they could, they might see a lot of students excelling in
school. This includes all students, because they are learning more about their beliefs and if they want, other beliefs as well as learning better how to
cope with today 's society. It would have been better for me for the simple fact that I would have been relying more on God then what I was
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The Importance Of Creationism In Schools
Creationism has been a controversial topic in our school systems, and schools in some states are fighting to have it taught instead of evolution as a
science. Creationism is the belief that all living organisms originated from a biblical process instead of evolution. There is no clear understanding of
how the earth was really created, but by the use of science, their can be a better understanding of it, therefore creationism should not be taught as a
science and should not be taught in school. The teachers are the people who have to deal with this topic the most because of all the pressure they get
from school administrators, parents and the community. Some science teachers have been told not to teach about evolution, but they did it nevertheless.
One of the most famous cases was the famous "monkey trial" which was a court case for John T. Scopes of Rhea County High School in Dayton,
Tennessee. The issue behind the Scopes trial was because he taught about evolution after he was told by the school administration that he was not
allowed to and was later convicted. "When the famous 'monkey trial' ended, Scopes was convicted of violating a Tennessee law that made it a crime
to "teach any theory that denies the story of the Devine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man is descended from lower
order of animals."(2008). John T. Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution instead of creationism in school and was taken to
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Religion and Science in the Classroom Essay
Science, in Albert Einstein's words, "describes what is." "Such a description consists of certain laws of nature, which summarize observed patterns, and
theories" (Peshkin 46). Science and religion are the main components of the ongoing national debate about the teaching of evolution in our public
schools (Peshkin 46).Various religions reject or ignore the contributions of science, arguing that science displaces God, questions religious belief, and
degrades morality (Molloy 547). Others disagree, appreciating science and the important information that has broadened our knowledge by providing
explanations for natural phenomenon, and continuously enriching our lives. In some religions and traditions, science poses ethical questions. Does...
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If public school teachers want to inform students about creationism, they should do so in a religion class, not a science class.
"Intelligent design or Creationism, as typically viewed on by its American advocates, draws on a literal interpretation of the Judeo–Christian tradition
that the world is no more than 6,000 years old and that all species of life on the planet were created over a period of 6 days by a monotheistic deity"
(Overton 934). In contrast, evolutionary theory maintains that biological life originated by way of a natural selection process over billions of years
(Morris 78).The concept of evolution, since its inception as a scientific theory through publication of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species" in 1859,
has faced religious opposition (Verma 206). Intelligent Design has been gaining acceptance in the United States. According to a series of polls,
conducted during the last 25 years, about 50% Americans believe in the original form of Creationism (Lewontin, 2005). Former President Bush agreed
to teaching evolution and intelligent design side by side in science classes (Dawkins & Coyne, 2005). A school board in Dover, Pennsylvania voted
against introduction of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in biology classes (Goodstein, 2005). In Kansas the school board accepted
intelligent design as part of the curriculum alongside evolution (Wilgoren,
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Creationism vs. Evolutionism in Public Schools
Debate: Creationism vs. Evolution in Schools: 1st Affirmative Constructive Speech
Creationism and Evolutionism by definition are very different topics. Currently, evolutionary naturalism is the most widely taught view of origins in
America. In schools in the modern day, only evolutionism is taught and condoned. But before the 1920s, only creationism was taught, and evolution
was forbidden. Then, on February 20, 2008, the Florida State Board of Education voted to revise the public school guidelines to require teachers to
teach only Evolutionism. The law was passed with a very narrow 4–to–3 vote in favor of the law. Our resolution (affirmative side) is to teach both the
theories of evolution and creationism side by side. This would ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An additional chink in the system is that the theory of evolution has many gaps that need to be filled by something like the theory of creation. While
evolution may be the dominating theory in Florida school boards, it does not provide some answers to several areas that Creationism may actually
answer, such as how the first organism, Earth, or the entire Universe came to be. On the other hand, Creationism has equally as many holes that can
be filled by the Evolutionary Theory such as how all the species of the earth became what they are now. Creationism and Evolutionism are not that
different. In 1969, when American astronauts first stood on the moon, they read from the bible. Men of science and technology, reading from the Book
of Genesis. This is an example of how an individual can believe in evolution and other scientific theories and still have faith.
Our plan to resolve these harms is this: the state of Florida should teach Creationism and Evolution side by side. Each theory would be taught
sequentially and would have its own chapter of discussion. Teaching both, side by side, in the same class would provide a fair and equal opportunity
of religion, education and choice. It would give the youth an opportunity to learn and expand their
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Essay about The Origins of Life: Evolution vs Intelligent...
Half a century ago, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech about the importance of government always maintaining an attitude of neutrality towards
religion. President Kennedy stated, "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute." The United States has been a
country, in which the separation of church and state has been adopted and assumed to be practiced, but there has been a perennial conflict disrupting
the balance between church and state. In his innovative film, The Revisionaries, director Scott Thurman exposes how the public education system has
become the latest battleground in the face of an old conflict – between religion and science – challenging the ideological edifice on which the nation
stands.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This trend captured national attention when Don McLeroy, chairman of the Texas Board of Education and a pious young–earth creationist, oversaw the
adoption of new science and history curriculum standards, which inevitably placed the state of Texas in the frontline of the so–called "culture wars."
McLeroy, alongside his compatriots, most notably Cynthia Dunbar, an attorney from Houston and professor of Law at Jerry Falwell's Liberty
University, fought and won the battle to introduce intelligent design in the classroom. Ousting the scientific theory of evolution, according to its
proponents, of its proper place.
However, to truly grasp the essence of the controversy, one must understand the terminology of what school boards consensus as guiding definitions for
science, the theory of evolution, and intelligent design. The common generalization shared by most Americans about science is that it's a systematic
and logical approach to discovering how things work in the natural world. This is correct, however, it is worth mentioning that this is based on fact –
not on opinion or preference – and all research is held accountable to the scientific method; a rigorous process that begins with a hypothesis (an
educated guess), followed by the formulation of an experiment to test the relationship of the variables in question, and ultimately an analysis,
conclusion and critique of what the results yield. Darwin's theory of evolution describes the biological processes of the
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The Louisiana Science Education Act Essay
In the United States, evolution and creationism remain a controversial issue as far as which method should stay in science classes across the globe.
How was the earth created? How were humans created? These are questions that arise in most science classes. Many students require an explanation of
why people exist. There are those who would oppose evolution, and there are those who oppose creationism. Is there a significant difference between
these methods? Several states have passed regulations that allow schools to teach both evolution and creationism. The Louisiana Science Education
Act, in particular, is a highly controversial debate. The act allows teachers to teach adscititious materials in the classroom. Many opponents are looking
to repeal this law. The Louisiana Science Education Act should not be repealed as it allows the student to engage in critical thinking skills,
acknowledge both theories and ultimately decide which theory they believe.
Looking back at our history creationism was the first explanation of why humans exist today. Since the beginning of time Christianity has played a
significant role in religion. Christianity started in Jerusalem and expanded into many different denominations across the world. Therefore, Christianity
is a religion based off of Jesus Christ and God the creator of the earth. "Creationism stemmed from several religions and is the belief that a higher being
or deity created everything living thing in nature through divine intervention
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Creationism Isn't Science but Belongs in Schools Essay
Creationism Isn't Science but Belongs in Schools
The origin of life has been a point of discussion for as long as history has been documented. Ancient Egyptians believed that the sun god Ra took
another form, created land from a watery abyss and created everything, including gods and humans. The Iroquois, a tribe of Native Americans, told a
story of god to human lineage that resulted in twins, one being evil and one being good. The good twin creates a picture perfect world. The evil twin
reverses the good twin's actions by making things more complex and difficult for humans. Christians and Jews believe that God, their only god, created
the earth and the heavens in six days, and on the seventh day ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He states that the inclusion of creationism would be a "startling blow to the fabric of science education." He goes on to say that the general
understanding science students should have is "that people can confront the universe and learn about it directly" through scientific testing (520). The
theory of creationism can not be tested using the earth and universe directly, and because of this Eldredge feels that it would be detrimental to students'
general understanding of science.
"Creationism Isn't Science" is the title of this essay and it explains the ideas of this essay in one sentence; the author, however, takes approximately six
pages to reiterate this idea. Eldredge's main point is simply that creationism isn't a science and evolution is a vital theory in the field of science. The
idea is basic; the theory of evolution is based in science and therefore is to be taught in a science curriculum. Evolution is the theory that there is "one
basic scheme of similarities interlocking all of life." This theory is usually studied in biological fields but is useful in a number of other scientific
fields. By explaining the uses of evolution in some scientific fields, Eldredge makes the point
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The Controversy Over Creationism And Evolution
Introduction The controversy over Creationism and Evolution is a widely debated topic, especially when it comes to what is being taught in the
biology classrooms in public schools today. It may be hard to imagine, but just over 100 years ago the curriculum and beliefs would have looked
dramatically different. One central court case that created a spark of bringing evolution to public schools was the infamous Scopes trial of 1925 in which
science teacher John Scopes challenged Tennessee state law and taught evolution in his high school science class. Tennessee state legislature had
passed a bill, known as the Butler Act just months before, banning the teaching of evolution. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented
Scopes after his arrest in a case that riveted public attention. Although at trial Scopes was ultimately found guilty, the Butler Act was no longer enforced
and laws prohibiting evolution being taught in the classroom continually were defeated over the course of the next two years. In 1968, the ACLU went
to the Supreme Court on behalf of Susan Epperson to fight against the ban on teaching evolution in Arkansas. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously
that the ban as unconstitutional as the First Amendment under the Establishment clause does not allow teachings to tailor to certain religions ("State of
Tennessee V. Scopes," n.d.). For this project, we 'll take a deeper look at this controversy. With evolution being the commonly accepted theory among
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Creationism : A Theory Of Primordial History
One of the most discussed and debated phenomena in the history of education is that the hypothetical concept of evolution which can be considered as
a theory of primordial history, moreover with the belief of creationism. Both have had an astounded impact in the framework of contemporary
education should or should not be taught in the public classroom. Evolutionists and Creationists both have their reasons why their beliefs should be
taught in the public classroom. The matter of the fact is that both of these are considered beliefs, things that are only backed by faith. Only faith, they
are not supported by fact which makes them not a theory or hypothesis. Throughout history the debate between whether it is ethically right or wrong
to teach these has been ongoing for too long and must come to a stop. These beliefs should not be taught in public schools due to the years of case law
and disputed legislative actions, both of their belief systems, and the irrefutable facts that prove it morally wrong.
Creationists believe that one divine God created the world around 10,000 years ago. This creation took six twenty– four hour days and he who created
rested on the Sabbath (seventh day). They follow the creation of the earth through the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Creationists believe in many
ways why their religion should be taught in schools over evolution. In order for this religion to get taught in schools they have created a "creation
science." It is not exactly what
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Should Evolution Be Taught In Schools Essay
Have you ever wondered if evolution was the one and only way that humans came to be? Well, you are wrong! There is another side to this continuing
argument. The United States Supreme Court declared that restricting an educator's right to teach the theory of evolution is unconstitutional.
Disclaimers conveying the theory of evolution of humankind as the only explanation or development is unconstitutional. I believe that both creationism,
and evolution both be taught, if anything. Let the students voice their own opinions based off their beliefs and evidence they individually gather.
Creationism should be taught in schools, they do idol critical thinking skills. However, they still choose to overload them with information on an
unproven ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Creationism is the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the
history of the earth. As you can see, they are two competing theories. But only one seems to be taught in public schools, funny right? Nobody ever
seems to criticize evolution in any course materials or textbooks, it just can't be stated as a scientific law. The controversy believes that sudden
appearances of chaos from nothing and god can't be enough evidence. However, we can't find transitional fossils between ape and man to back up
evidence for evolution.
In conclusion, you now see where I am coming from. Evolution is no better than the theory of creation. But if you are going to teach the idea of one
thing, at least show the competing theory and its side. Then you wind up with everyone thinking it is all one sided, and that can make people upset. So
parents, teachers, staff, school boards, if you have a religion or beliefs, don't you want it to be heard. Maybe even taught if there are other sides to it. I
am asking that you all stand up for what you believe in and make education
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Intelligent Design In Public Schools Research Paper
Teaching Intelligent Design in Public Schools
What is the difference between belief and ethics? Where is the line drawn between faith and law? This is the debate fought by creationists and those
who recognize evolution as true. The argument has been thrown back and forth for years. But, the real question is, should intelligent design be taught in
public schools? In America, creationists believe that the world was created by a god, the majority of which is made up of Christians, are usually the
the people that believe in intelligent design. This Christian theory states that all life on earth, and the earth itself, was created by an intelligent designer
or god in their present form. There are variations in belief including "Young Earth Theory,"... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The opposition to this theory comes in part from those whose religious beliefs are contradicted by it, those who claim that evolution is "just a theory,"
and claim it is not a sound science because of the label. To understand that evolution is true and reliable, the definition of the word theory in a
scientific context must first be understood. In Richard Dawkins' "The Greatest Show on Earth," this is explained, "The Oxford English Dictionary
gives two meanings... Theory, Sense 1:... a hypothesis that has been confirmed or established by observation or experiment, and is propounded or
accepted as accounting for the known facts... Theory, Sense 2: A hypothesis proposed as an explanation: hence, a mere hypothesis,speculation,
conjecture..." It is proposed in this book that scientists and creationists are using these definitions in different contexts. Creationists use the second
sense of the word theory, meaning a speculation of no value, and scientists use it in sense one, that of a proven hypothesis. In science the word theory
is surpassed only by the word law in the sense of conveying certainty. In science, a theory is a hypothesis that has never been disproven, such as the
theory of gravity. Evolution has been proven many times over through both observation and experiment, which is the reason it is taught in public
schools. Though it has uncountable examples, only a fraction will be mentioned. Transitional fossils are one of the major concerns on the part of
creationists. They use gaps in the fossils record to argue its unreliability. Transitional fossils are the species that lie in between the transition from one
species to its ancestor or descendant. When these fossils are missing, it can seem far–fetched for a whale to develop from a land dwelling dog like
animal, but when the fossils in between these two species are discovered, the transition becomes clearer. Though
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Science Teachers and Professors Should Not Teach Creationism
Where do we come from? How did this world, this universe originate? Questions that philosophers probably first of all, and successively scientists,
dogmatists, little children, and imaginably almost the whole population of the Earth have at least once asked themselves and tried to answer,
sometimes with convincing or satisfactory results, but presumably more frequently with no different outcome than numerous new interrogations.
However, today we do have several answers, different according to areas of the world, distinct cultures and various religions, and each individual can
choose what to believe; so the actual question, which remains unsolved, is the following: what should public schools teach to their students? The
answer to this query... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
America is not a theocracy; indeed, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants the freedom of religion and states that the clause against
establishment of religion by law was intended to erect "a wall of separation between church and State" (Establishment Clause). Since public schools are
in fact "public" institutions, related undeniably to the states, it would be illegal and unconstitutional to have them not distinctly separated from any
church. Different would be, obviously, talking about private religious schools; those are in fact called "independent schools" or, more commonly,
"nonstate schools" – which means, literally, not administered by any government, local, state or national. According to the Council for American
Private Education (CAPE), even if the percentage of students attending Catholic schools has declined since 1995, it still reaches 12 %, which is an
extremely high number; while among the top five reasons for parents to home school their children – with a 36 % agreement, as reported by the
National Center for Education Statistics – appears "a desire to provide religious instruction." This statement confirms that if parents do want their sons
and daughters to learn about religion in a scholastic context, the only way to achieve
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20th Century American Public Schools Essay
Teaching Origins in 20th Century American Public Schools
Introduction
The debate over the origins of the earth and of life has captivated and divided America since the late 19th Century. Evolutionists and creationists have
battled in courtrooms , churches , academia , and public schools over the course of the 20th century and continue fighting, or attempting to make peace
over, this culture war today. The debate has changed between the time of the Scopes Trial and the present in several important ways. First, creationists
have developed many more diverse arguments, and employ not only biblical and moralistic arguments, but scientific evidence, logical arguments, and
political rhetoric to counter evolutionary theory. Second, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Evolutionary theory has accrued evidence from diverse scientific fields and is now championed as the centerpiece of biology. Creationism has branched
out to include scientific, moralistic, and probabilistic arguments, and its alliance with fundamentalist Christianity has helped it retain political power.
Toumey asserts that "without the churches, academies, colleges, lobbies, rallies, broadcasts, and mailing lists of the New Religious Right, creationism
would be an obscure oddity; with its Religious Right sponsors, however, it becomes a popular sensation that generates difficult public controversy
about science education."
Evolutionists have largely tried to control curricula at the level of national and state standards, and view the inclusion of creation models in public
schools as a central part of the larger problem of the poor quality of science education in American schools. Creationists have typically worked on the
local and state level, appealing to first amendment freedoms of religious practice and expression and attacking the validity of evolutionary theory.
Historical Overview
Since public education in the US has historically been controlled at the local and state level, the content of and emphasis placed on origins education has
varied over time and by locality due to pressures from creationist and
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Creationism And Evolution : Louisiana Education Act Essay
Creationism & Evolution: Louisiana Education Act
In the United States, the theory of evolution and creationism has been strictly debated as far as which method if any should be taught in science
classes across the globe. How was the earth created? Where did humans come from? These are questions that arise in most science classes. Many
students require an explanation to why humans exist. There are those who would oppose evolution, and there are those who oppose creationism. Is there
a significant difference between these methods? Several states have passed regulations that allow schools to teach both methods. The Louisiana
Science Education Act, in particular, is an extremely controversial debate. The act allows teachers to teach adscititious materials in the classroom.
Many opponents are looking to repeal this law. The Louisiana Science Education Act should not be repealed as it allows the student to engage in
critical thinking skills, acknowledge both theories and ultimately decide which theory they believe in.
Looking back at our history creationism was the first explanation of how humans were created. Since the beginning of time Christianity has played a
significant role in religion. Christianity started in Jerusalem and expanded into many different denominations across the world. Therefore, Christianity
is a religion based off of Jesus Christ and God the creator of the earth. "Creationism stemmed from several religions and is the belief that a higher
being or deity
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The Public Schooling System During The United States
When looking at the history of America, it is fascinating to see how the public schooling system even got started. The first schools in America were
not public schools, as many would presume. Instead, "the first schools in the United States were religious and not secular" (Elifson 1). Nearly all
public schools, up to the 1960's incorporated religion and prayer in their classrooms; however, in the last 50 years, prayer and religion in public
schools has been debated over countless times. Even in Hudsonville, Michigan, which holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for
having the most churches on a single street, there is much debate over prayer and the teaching of Christianity, or any religion, in the public schools.
When I ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Samuel Ayers and Shelly Reid are two educators at schools in Texas and they agree with this statement. They argue constantly in their article that
religions are essential in teaching social studies. Reid and Ayers contend that, "[the] very faces of Europe and Africa were changed as Muslims and
Christians battled over lands during the Middle Ages" (2). They also state that in other countries, "entire social systems are based on religious beliefs"
(2). Consequently, this points to the fact that religion, in its entirety, is immensely important in teaching students the history of nations and many social
systems that nations uphold. Reid and Ayers have proven that after receiving the knowledge of religion in some countries and understanding why their
respective religions were important to them, "[students] achieved a deeper understanding of many current events, [especially] those involving the
Middle East"(Ayers and Reid 2). It is perfectly clear that in many circumstances, knowing the religious background of a nation will help enlighten the
students to better understand why some nations hold a particular stance on a given matter (Ayers and Reid 1–3).
Another author, Rob Boston, talks about this subject in less detail. He argues that "legitimate instruction about religion as an academic subject in public
schools [is not] a problem. As long
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Creationism : A Theory Of Primordial History
One of the most discussed and debated phenomena in the history of education is that the hypothetical concept of evolution which can be considered as
a theory of primordial history, moreover with the belief of creationism. Both have had an astounded impact in the framework of contemporary
education should or should not be taught in the public classroom. Evolutionists and Creationists both have their reasons why their beliefs should be
taught in the public classroom. The matter of the fact is that both of these are considered beliefs, things that are only backed by faith. Only faith, they
are not supported by fact which makes them not a theory or hypothesis. Throughout history the debate between whether it is ethically right or wrong
to teach these has been ongoing for too long and must come to a stop. These beliefs should not be taught in public schools due to the years of case law
and disputed legislative actions, both of their belief systems, and the irrefutable facts that prove it morally wrong.
Creationists believe that one divine God created the world around 10,000 years ago. This creation took six twenty– four hour days and he who created
rested on the Sabbath (seventh day). They follow the creation of the earth through the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Creationists believe in many
ways why their religion should be taught in schools over evolution. In order for this religion to get taught in schools they have created a "creation
science." It is not exactly what
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Why Creationism Should Not Be Taught in Public Schools...
A hotly debated topic concerning public schools centers on the origin of life. Now more than ever, science and religion are butting heads. What
should public schools teach to their students? Alex Rainert reasons that both "science and religion are engaged in the same project, to discover the
origin of life" (141). In short, one could better describe the debate as a crusade between evolutionists and creationists; both sides have their
well–founded arguments, but when one looks at the decisions of the courts, clearly only one side may win the battle when deciding biology curriculum
in schools. Despite an overwhelming number of individuals in favor of teaching creationism in public education, science classes should refrain from
becoming a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Otherwise, teaching creationism encroaches upon separation of church and state.
Certainly many Americans in favor of teaching both theories may do so for the sake of imparting critical thinking skills to our schoolchildren. Costley
and Killins agree with this notion, emphasizing that true academics teaches schoolchildren alternate theories as well as analytical thinking (5). As a
result, creationists weigh in heavily at schools, compelling them to introduce other scientific theories dealing with the origin of life (Raymo 152). In
this regard, when it applies to all area of academics, many more people would agree. Teaching only one theory on any matter seems indicative of a
totalitarian form of education. Therefore, teachers should want to introduce students to as many alternative theories as possible. However, the
dissenting theories they present must have factual ground on which to stand on. Since the theory of creationism stands on shaky ground scientifically,
it should have no place in science education classes.
Interestingly, Alex Rainert, a man in favor of teaching both creationism andevolution, states that evolution is as much a theory as the theory of plate
tectonics or Einstein's theory of relativity. Yet, he explains, a campaign against those theories in courtrooms is, in essence, nonexistent (140).
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
The Case Of Epperson V. Arkansas
In the wake of the Scopes trial in Tennessee, the State of Arkansas passed an "anti–evolution" statute in 1928, that made it illegal "to teach the theory
or doctrine that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animals," or "to adopt or use in any such institution a textbook that teaches
the doctrine or theory that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animal." Forty years later, the case of Epperson v. Arkansas (1968)
was argued before the Supreme Court. The case originated in 1965, when Susan Epperson was hired to teach 10th grade biology at Little Rock Central
High School. The local school board had recently adopted, as a part of an approved curriculum, a new biology textbook that included a section on
evolution. Immediately, Epperson recognised her dilemma; that to teach the required curriculum would put her at risk for dismissal under the
"anti–evolution" statute. A suit was filed to challenge the constitutionality of the statute, and the State Chancery Court of Pulaski County ruled that the
statute was unconstitutional. This ruling was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1967. Upon appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court held that:
Arkansas ' law cannot be defended as an act of religious neutrality. Arkansas did not seek to excise from the curricula of its schools and universities
all discussion of the origin of man. The law 's effort was confined to an attempt to blot out a particular theory because of its supposed conflict with the
Biblical
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Compare And Contrast Edwards Vs Aguillard
In the late nineteen–eighties, Edwards v. Aguillard argued that a Louisiana law was against the First Amendment of the Constitution. This law
prohibited public schools from teaching about evolution and the evolutionary processes unless the topic was taught alongside religious based creation
theories. More specifically, this law imposed on public schools was argued to have broken the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This
clause simply says that absolutely no law can establish or support a religion ("Establishment Clause", 2011). Many people challenged the state's law
including local parents and teachers as well as men and women with religious affiliations. Ultimately, the Supreme Court found that the state's act was
unlawful according to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment due to the fact that there was no non–religious basis to the act. The creation
theories are entirely based around the idea that an all–powerful god created the human race. Therefore the state is promoting this religious teaching.
Although it was argued that the act was to give students more opportunities to learn, the point was made that the teachers lost the power to make
decisions in his or her own classroom. Furthermore, the law inhibits the learning of children by banning the teaching of evolution unless creation is
also taught in the classroom. The law... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Aguillard. I agree with the verdict of this case. Louisiana's law was clearly put into place to diminish the validity behind the evolution theory. This is in
clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The First Amendment is fairly clear, but the Establishment Clause is even more
straightforward. This clause is absolute, saying that no law can be in place supporting any establishment of religion or religion itself ("Establishment
Clause",
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Should Creationism Be Taught In Public Schools Essay
If you walk into a public school science classroom and ask the students what they were taught pertaining to the creation of the universe, most likely the
majority of them will talk about the Big Bang theory or the theory of evolution. This has always been a topic of interest that has caused many debates
on whether public schools should teach creationism in the classrooms. Creationism is the belief that the universe was created by specific acts of
divine creation and is more known as Genesis to the Abrahamic religions. In my opinion creationism is a subject that should be taught alongside of
science because it can develop critical thinking skills for the students, it will satisfy the demand of the people, and will fulfill our freedom of
speech. Many educators will disagree that creationism should be taught in public schools because they say it is disapproved by science and will be a
waste of time since it is religious. Creationism is no more religious than the theory of the Big Bang, if you ask me it takes greater faith to believe that
something came out of nothing. The Big Bang theory is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We can agree that scientist are people whose job is to explain why something is how it is, but there humans just like us and they also have their own
beliefs therefore they can be bias, since there not neutral and like everybody else they grew up with certain beliefs that can determines what they do
with the evidence. After spending some time doing research on scientific theories about creation and creationism, I can say that all the theories of
creation is no more truthful than creationism, and instead of just teaching scientific theories in the school system, we should push for creationism to be
taught as well for the purpose of supplying demand, freedom of speech, and developing critical thinking skills in
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Evolution vs. Creation Essay
Don't Monkey Around in Class
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Words of this nature have been questioned for thousands of years–by naturalists,
materialists, humanists, etc.–and, in more recent times, have led to court cases, heated arguments, and public debates. The major debate intended to be
covered in this piece is that of whether or not evolution should be taught in classrooms. Also, if it is to be taught, should it be taught as fact or theory? It
is also intended to present enough evidence to disprove evolution altogether and, as a result, make it much less than a theory, but actually the vain
opinions of a man who chose not to accept the truth. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Organisms either appeared on the earth fully developed or they did not. If they did not, they must have developed from preexisting species by some
form of modification. If they did appear in a fully developed state, they must indeed have been created by some omnipotent intelligence" (qtd. in Gish).
Furthermore, if evolution were true, "there would be countless fossils of transitional forms...., millions of fossils showing various stages in the gradual
transition of kinds of organisms into different kinds...., and 'missing links'" (Parker, et al, 367). "Charles Darwin himself recognized this problem: 'The
number of intermediate varieties, which have formerly existed, must be truly enormous. Why then is not every geological formation and every
stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps is the most
obvious and serious objection to the theory" (Parker, et al, 367). Darwin's doubts, however, do not stop there: "To suppose that the eye...could have
been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree" (Parker, et al, 381). Also, with respect to transitional
forms and the fact that the animal must be alive and fully functional during any change, he says, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ
existed, which by numerous, successive modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. Gregory Parker's text also
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
The Theory Of Evolution Of Creationism
The theory of evolution is at odds with the views of many religions, and many people want to allow a religious view of creationism to be taught in
the public school system. The foundation of evolution is based upon the belief that the origin of all ordered complex systems, including living
creatures, can be explained by natural laws without the initiation or intervention of God. A person who believes in the biblical model of creation is
viewed by some non– believers as a naive, narrow–minded religious fanatic who is not willing to look at the observable evidence with an open mind.
Because the evolutionary idea of origins has been so widely accepted by the scientific community, many people have reasoned that the creation model
should be completely rejected without fairly examining its claims. Even many Christians who have deep trust and faith in the Bible have never really
understood the claims of the creation account
(McLean 11).
Over the past several years, a great deal of controversy surrounding the creation–evolution issue has been generated by scientists who have based their
claims on the creation model and have been willing to let their reputations stand. Creationists have openly requested that when the discussion of origins
occurs in the public school system, both the model of creation and evolution be presented side by side.
Initially, scientists and educators who have accepted the theory of evolution without question were reluctant to pay any serious attention to
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The Scopes Trial And Its Impact On The American Education...
The Scopes Trial is a standout amongst the most well–known trials in American history. The trial was a lawful case in 1925 in which a substitute high
school teacher, John Scopes, was charged with violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach Darwinism in any state
–financed
school. This trial was a gathering between various polar opposites, for example, Fundamentalism and Modernism. The clash between fundamentalism
and modernism during the Scopes Trial had a significant impact on the American education system. In America, in the 1920s, two significant cultural
movements arose that eventually clashed. A Christian fundamentalist movement arose in America and the fundamentalist's goal during this time was to
recover and publicly institutionalize old time religious fundamental values. Fundamentalist believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and thus
strongly objected to the teachings of Charles Darwin, since his theory of evolution contradicted the origin of man as found in the Bible. In the 1920s,
the Christian fundamentalist began to gain political power across America and started passing legislation banning the teaching of Darwinism in state
funded schools. At the same time cultural modernism was also rising in America. Modernist believes in a secular government and their agenda was
education, democratic reforms, and economic progress. These two conflicting ideologies would inevitably clash, which occurred in the Scopes Trial of
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Evolution Of Science And Religion
Evolution is one of the major concepts in biology that had aroused a struggle between science and religion. There are two different viewpoints that
have appeared from this conflict, one from scientists and one from the creationists. The scientists view evolution as a long–term process during which
living organisms have developed over time. The teaching method that they see fit to this concept is through material in biology textbooks. These
textbooks contain information on how certain species, organisms, and terrains evolved over time. However, the creationists have an opposing
viewpoint on evolution. They view evolution not from the scientific standpoint, but from the biblical and religious standpoint – that God had created
everything. Creationists object to evolution mainly because of this standpoint. Thus, they believe that evolution should not be studied through the
scientific information found in textbooks, but instead it should be studied from the bible. According to the creationists, the bible has a wide variety
of statements that show how God had played a major role in the creation of the universe, and in the evolution of species, all of which relate to the
scientific "development over time" standpoint. Ken Ham, who is interviewed in the pbs video "What about God," says that evolution is an evil to be
fought, and he points out some of the conflicts the bible has with secular science that deals with origins. One of the conflicts that he listed was that "the
Bible says
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Argumentative Essay: The First Amendment Of The Constitution
The 1st Amendment of the constitution was implemented for one simple reason: to guarantee the basic human rights of the American citizens. The
American citizens wanted to be assured of their basic and personal freedoms, so the founding fathers gave them that when they created the 1st
Amendment. One of the specific things this Amendment guarantees for its citizens, is the right to exercise their religious freedom. Before the
revolutionary war, there wasn't much separation between church and state. They were under a British government, forcing them to follow the ways of
the Anglican church. Citizens were required to attend church once a month in order to receive government news and if citizens were not apart of the
church, they still had to pay taxes to fund it.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This sector of the 1st Amendment is called the Establishment Clause. After a case called Lemon v. Kurtzman in 1971 regarding religious freedom in
public schools, a test to ensure that a law was respecting the Establishment Clause was created. "First, the legislature must have adopted the law with a
secular purpose. Second, the statute's principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion. Third, the statute must not
result in an excessive entanglement of government religion." This three–pronged test helps ensure that everyone, including students in public schools,
have a right to their own religious freedoms and no particular religion is forced upon them which is what the Establishment Clause is all about in the
first
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Creationism Vs. Creationism : Creationism And Creationism
Lunden Wright
5th Period
English 10–Beasely
Date
Creationism vs. Evolutionism
"In religion faith is a virtue; in science it's a vice" (Jerry A. Coyne). There are many debates between creationism and evolution. Creationism is the
belief that a creator created the Earth. Many religions believe in a holy creator or creators. Creationists believe that the forged Earth was complete and
never changed.
Evolution is the belief that all life started from a single atom and changed overtime into the world we live in. Evolutionists believe the designed Earth
changed and evolved throughout time. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace created the evolution theory (Giberson). The major debate is science
against religion. A belief is present that both... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The evolutionism and creationism debate ushers confusion through many misunderstandings and false beliefs. Creationists try to attack the scientific
community about disagreeing on evolution. Their disagreements lead to a better understanding about the world. There is only one Evolution theory
just has there are only one definite other theories.
The father of genetics is Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin was a naturalist who went on the HMS Beagle around the Galapagos Island. He learned about
genetics and natural selection. He was the man who theorized Darwinism, or evolution. Creationists naively try to discredit evolution without knowing
the full and true definition. Evolution is not the theory of the origin of life. In addition, the theory of evolution cannot explain the origin of the
universe. By that definition, there could be no mutations or variations.
The simple definition of evolution is the change of gene frequencies over time. There is profuse evidence throughout the studies of anatomy,
paleontology and morphology. These studies show the evolution of plants and animals. Fossil records also provide additional evidence to support
evolution.
There are many examples of animals and plants changing overtime but the boldest change are modern whales. Whales have had relatives and ancestors
with bears, sheep, camel, and pigs over the past 53 million (Pigliucci). Scientist in the
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
The Importance Of Creationism And Intelligent Design
Creationism and Intelligent Design theories should be taught in public schools with evolution. "The idea that students should hear both sides of the
evolution debate enjoys widespread popular support. An opinion poll from the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life revealed that nearly two–thirds
of Americans believe that creationism, in some form, should be taught alongside evolution"(Warnick, 2009, p. 305)." Creation and Intelligent Design
theories should be taught in public schools, with evolution. Teaching about evolution with no clarity of how or if it fits with biblical creation can
cause confusion, especially for students raised in only a biblical creationist setting may not know if the two are reconcilable. Teaching about just
creationism without clarifying how or if the two are reconcilable causes the same situation as above. (b) Statements in clear language that show why
the issue is important. While normally this would be related to culture, social science or philosophy, it matters here because both creationism and
science teach origins of life. There are many Christians who would like to know about creationism and evolution, and students should be able to learn
about each. Because of these reasons, both should be taught so the students are exposed to diverse information and perspectives so they can decide for
themselves. The debate on teaching creationism, evolution, or both in public schools has been an issue in the United States since the Scopes Monkey
Trial
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Evolution & Creationism in Education Essay
Evolution & Creationism in Education
The twentieth century has witnessed the escalation of the creation – evolution debate through famous court cases and Supreme Court decisions on the
teaching of evolution in public schools, culminating most recently in a Kansas Board of Education decision. As this highly controversial issue of the
teaching of evolution in American classrooms rages on, it may be difficult for some individuals of Christian faith to form an alternative belief other than
the extremes of creationism and evolutionism. Before discussing this issue any further, when I refer to strict beliefs in creationism or evolution as
extreme views I am not necessarily implying that they are wrong, but are simply two views on completely ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many Christians today would answer "no" to this question. Accepting the theory of evolution as a possible explanation of how we came into existence
does not deny God as our Creator or that He remains at work today. Instead, it is entirely possible to believe that God used the process of evolution to
create the human species. In addition, evolution should continue to be taught in public schools, even if this requires the presentation of dissenting
views so that students may formulate their own beliefs.
History of the 20th Century Creation – Evolution Debate
The creation – evolution debate entered the education realm in the early 1920's when several states prohibited the teaching of evolution in the
classroom. Stephen Jay Gould (1999) reports that this led to the famous 1925 Scopes "monkey trial" in Dayton, Tennessee, and the conviction of high
school teacher John Scopes on the grounds of teaching evolution in a public school. An article on the world wide web entitled "The Scopes 'monkey
trial,'" says the trial pitted prosecuting attorney William Jennings Bryan against defense attorney Clarence Darrow on the issue of the constitutionality
of a Tennessee law, the "Butler Law," which specifically forbade the teaching of evolution in the state. Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina,
and Kentucky already had similar laws. David L. Marcus (1999) adds, however, that the Tennessee Supreme Court later overturned the ruling on a
technicality.
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Creationist Argument Against Creationism
As seen from the infographic, Creationism meets absolutely none of the requirements to be considered a science; for instance, Creationism has no
physical evidence, is not repeatable, and has no backing from any other branch of science. In this specific instance, evolution is the comparative to
Creationism. Unlike its counterpart, evolution can be repeatedly tested because it is still happening to this day while the beliefs of Creationism seem to
have occurred only once. Additionally, if Creationism was to have any evidence, it would probably be the Bible, but not even that has scientific
backing. Along with this Creationism cannot be backed by any branch of science, due to the fact that it does not follow the scientific method. Due to
this, Creationism cannot be considered a science and in turn cannot be taught in place of a science curriculum. Despite this, Creationists still press for
some form of their religious beliefs to be taught in the public school system. Fundamentalist Creationists do not stop at just asking for Creationism to
be taught in public schools, as mentioned before, sometimes they turn to extremes. First, it is beneficial to understand the basis on which Creationists
attempt to discredit science. One of the most common misconceptions from Creationism is that it is a suitable scientific alternative to the evolutionary
theory. This is simply not true, as evident from the aforementioned infographic. Using this as the foundation for their argument,
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Politics Of The Polarized Classroom Essay
Politics of the Polarized Classroom A Popular Trope By now, one must have already heard or read about the story of a young man standing up to his
professor in philosophy class, the latter being a self–professed atheist. Simply put, the professor claimed that it was stupid to believe in God because
there was no empirical proof of God. The young man, however, wittily retorts that since the class really had no empirical proof of the professor's
brain, then they really had no business believing him. The same trope is basically used in a more elaborated rendition in the recent Christian film
God's Not Dead (2014). There, an atheist professor challenges a Christian student for his irrational beliefs, but suddenly comes to terms with the
irrationality of his own belief system by the end of the movie (Noble). An average movie at best, it can be said that richer meaning might be found in
the circumstances of its creation. Movies, after all, mimic aspects of reality regardless of genre, so that the political realities described therein are
hardly fictional in nature. Simply put, "to create a film is to participate politically" (Christensen and Haas 6). Here, it is profitable to point out the three
things both texts have in common: (1) both feature an atheistic professor; (2) both feature a Christian student who avidly believes God; and (3) both
occur in the classroom. These factors are important to note, and the third point needs stressing, as it is central to the plot of both texts.
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
The Debate of Orgin: Creationsim versus Evolutionism
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. Or so it said. Then this mystical being, this Intelligent Designer, went on. He made the sun
and the moon, the sea and the lands, and all the beasts of the planet. Then, he concluded with man. All this creation in 6 short days. Everything that we
know, everything that we are, is supposedly derived from this short span of mass design. However, this information is quite contradictory to what
modern science tells us. And that, in and of itself, is the essence of the nationwide debate. Should Creationism, or as it is sometimes labeled, Intelligent
Design, be taught in public schools? The answer, of course, is no.
23% of High School students surveyed said that no, they do not believe in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
IN fact, during the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case, it was found that it is "unconstitutional for a Pennsylvania school district to present
intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in high school biology courses because it is a religious viewpoint that advances 'a particular version
of Christianity,'" (Goodstein 1) And what is more, it is morally wrong to teach a science that we know to be false to the future generations of our
country. Many people argue that Evolution is "just a theory" and "has large gaps" while failing to realize that a scientific theory is considered valid
fact, especially when it is as broadly accepted as Evolution. Furthermore, the theory of Evolution has physical evidence, regardless of how
Creationists like to interpret it, which is more than can be said for Intelligent Design. Fossil records, carbon dating, rock superposition, and DNA
relations are all superb and examples, to name only a few. Many other Creationists would argue that it is "unfair" to teach one theory and not the other.
Besides the obvious constitutional problems and the problem with Intelligent Design being deemed an illegitimate science, this statement is still a
tough pill to swallow. Essentially, these people are saying that regardless of one's religious beliefs, all students need to be
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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Evolution Of Science Classes At School: Should Creation Be Allowed

  • 1. Evolution Of Science Classes At School Being raised in a Christian family, I have attended Catholic school my whole life. That being said, I have grown up studying Bible stories since before I can remember. Probably the most prominent and well–known of these stories in Christian theology is, of course, the story of creation. To this day, I still remember how the story goes. On the first day, God created the earth and daylight. For six days after, he continued creation and included the sky, the ocean, plants, animals, and humans. Growing up, I always believed in a literal interpretation of this story, and thought everything was created within an exact week. However, as I got older, I learned about evolution in science classes at school. I soon discovered that many of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... While a large number of people in the scientific field strongly believe in evolution, a group of people known as creationists and creation scientists seem to disagree. Creationism is the belief that "the biblical record of primeval history in Genesis 1–11 is factual, historical, and clearly understandable and, therefore, that all things were created and made in six literal days" (Morris). Creationists believe evolution completely contradicts with their religious beliefs; therefore, they do not agree with it. Creation science is a branch of creationism that focuses on providing scientific reasoning behind creationism. Creation scientist Jack Wellman describes evolution saying it "presents a world view without God and that there is only 'survival of the fittest' and that there is no real purpose for mankind." In between evolutionists and creationists falls theistic evolutionists, who believe in both creation by God and evolution. Since these people interpret the Bible in a metaphoric sense rather than literal, they believe that religious teachings about creation do not conflict with evolutionary concepts. For the most part, evolutionists and theistic evolutionists, aka people who believe in evolution, all seem to agree that evolution should be taught in US public schools. Interestingly enough, I have not yet found someone who is pro–evolution and does not think it should be discussed in the classroom. However, there are creation scientists who think ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 2. The Battle Of Creationism And Evolutionary Theory The battle of creationism and evolutionary theory is not a new one. That being said, in order to understand whether creationism has a place in secondary education, one must first understand the complexity of the matter. Evolution in itself is a theory proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859. Grossly simplified, the theory states that life evolved from non–life; the concept of descent with modification. This theory arouses conflict because many Christians believe that it negates the literal interpretation of the biblical creation story. It is from this story that the theory of creationism began. While some may argue that creationism deserves to be taught alongside evolutionary theory within the science curriculum of secondary schools of a municipality or state, these individuals are mistaken. Creationism is not a science, therefore by teaching it one violates the first amendment and also further develops the religious inequality that its supporters argue teaching it creates. There is no place for creationism in the science curriculum within secondary public education. To begin, the idea that creationism is a science is a troublesome one in itself. According to Creationism.org, the leading authority on Creation Science, creationism is, "the theory that man, the earth, and the rest of the universe were originally created rather than randomly exploding from nothingness into chance existence". Science as a practice is not this way. By definition, science is the "knowledge about or ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 3. Should Religious Education Be Public Schools? I was raised as a catholic for a majority of my life but was completely unaware that Catholics were Christians too. This confusion and lack of religious knowledge is the norm in the United States. To combat this startling issue some have proposed we have religious education in our schools. Religion is a taboo issue and turns even more taboo when we involve children. Many oppose the teaching of region in our schools for the simple reason of separation of church and state. Another reason this is met with resistance would include all the reasons for which religion is frowned upon such as: crating division amongst people and misunderstandings. However, others argue that religious education is necessary in public schools due to the immense ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In effect, todays educator should be permitted to cover such topic, providing students with the creationist perspective. For the most part, only evolution has been given a its proper place. Evolution and creationism should hold the same weight as both present large influences in different aspects of our lives. Both undermine how we view things and even influences our moral perception. Also, these theories hold major weight In our society, hence students should be knowledgeable in these areas. Students should be presented with informative unbiased ideas of each to come up with their own conclusions. To hold a truly dolid educational foundation students must be presented with alternatives to evolution and thus develop the proper thinking skills. In another poll, conducted by Pew Research revealed that 1 out of three Americans opposed evolution. A large number of those who refused creationism were evangelicals and Protestants who believe humans have always existed in the form they hold today. A majority of evangelicals don't agree with the current theory of evolution but rather believe in theistic evolution. Theistic evolution supports the principles of evolution but involves God. Since the early 1930's, evangelicals have always fought the involvement of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 4. Creationism and Public Schools Essay example Creationism and Public Schools The issue of whether creationism should be taught in public schools, rather than evolution, is a new one. It has only been in the past fifty years that it has even been in debate. Public school science classes, when discussing the origins of life on Earth, coincided with Sunday school classes. Students learned that the Earth, universe and everything else was created in seven days, by God, as stated in the Old Testament. It was not until recently with the rise of scientific reason and equal rights organizations did these teachings become questioned. The argument spurs from each person's personal belief, and that is where things get complicated. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... These principles include a basis in natural law, and science is guided by natural law. Science has to be explanatory by referencing natural law, and scientific conclusions must lack finality. When they are proven otherwise, they are open to alteration. In a science course, for something to be taught, as a science, it must follow these guide lines, yet creationism does not. Creation Scientists will not adhere themselves or their beliefs to these rules, and therefore creationism can not be taught as a science, hence the name "pseudoscience." The next debate on why creationism should not be taught in schools is based on The First Amendment. The First Amendment states that the government shall make no laws endorsing or prohibiting any religious believe. Public schools are funded by the government. Requiring the Biblical teachings of creationism to be taught in school promotes the Christian religion. According to the First Amendment, a public organization that is funded by the government can not promote one religion over another. For public schools to be able to comply with the First Amendment, they would have to offer equal time to every religion's view on the creation of life on Earth, which would be impossible and once again, turn a biology class into a theology class. This idea was also approved by the US Supreme Court, in the 1987 case, Aguillard v. Edwards. In this case, it was ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 5. Should Creation Be Allowed In Public Schools? School boards across the country are divided over the same issue, as they have been for the last hundred years. Can you guess what it is? The controversial issue facing teachers and board members today is whether or not creation has a place in the public school systems. I believe that it does, and it should have an equal representation as evolution in the science classroom. Creation has fact behind it, just as evolution does, and a large number of the American population agrees with its ideas. First of all, a large percentage of Americans claim to be creationists. According to a poll that can be found on pewforum.com, about 42% of the population says that "humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time." Forty–two ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, wrote on the organization's website, "If teaching creation were mandated, it would likely be taught poorly (and possibly mockingly) by a teacher who does not understand what the Bible teaches and who believes in evolution." While Ham does have a point, leaving one common theory completely out of schools is robbing students of their education. They should at least be taught differing ideas and be able to make an educated decision of which they might support. I propose that educators be required to give students a list of ideas about origins, or have it taught by an unbiased and certified teacher. I firmly believe that creationism should have equal representation as evolution in public schools. As I've said, creation doesn't have complete scientific fact backing it up, but if almost half of Americans claim to agree with it, creationism should be taught alongside of evolution in the schools. Decide for yourself: should schools today be welcoming differing ideas and healthy debate, or are educators shutting out valid theories and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 6. The Lemon Test The court case resulted in the establishment of a set of legal criteria for determining whether a law violates the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment states that the United States Congress cannot permit a law that establishes religion or forbids the free speech thereof. This set of legal criteria was later referred to as the "Lemon Test". The Lemon Test consisted of three rules: "First, the statute must have a secular legislative purpose; second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion; finally, the statute must not foster "an excessive government entanglement with religion" (Allison). In 1981, the National ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... al v. Roman Stearns et. al. This refusal caused a policy that stated that particular courses from religious high schools were unsatisfactory for admission to college to remain in effect (American Association of University Professors). In 2012, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam passed a law, which critics nicknamed the "Monkey Bill", that enabled the teaching of creationism by stating that the teaching of certain scientific subjects, such as the theories of evolution and creationism, could possibly result in the creation of controversy and that teachers were permitted to assist students in the understanding and critiquing of objective subjects to strengthen the intelligence and understanding of students (Wing). One year later, the Texas Board of Education approved the usage of biology textbooks that contained evolutionary content ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 7. Scopes Trial Essay Thesis The Scopes trial is a standout amongst the most well–known trials in American history. The trial was a lawful case in 1925 in which a substitute high school teacher, John Scopes, was charged with violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach Darwinism in any state –financed school. This trial was a gathering between various polar opposites, for example, Fundamentalism and Modernism. The fundamentalism and modernism conversion during the Scopes Trial had an extreme impact on the American Education System. The Scopes trial was a trial over a misdemeanor offense by substitute teacher John Scopes, but it ended up becoming an even huger trial between fundamentalist and modernist. Modernist and fundamentalist were fighting for control of America's education system and the result of the trial would have a drastic effect on Tennessee's education system. When the Butler Act was passed in 1925, the ACLU (American Citizens Liberties Union) sent a press discharge to a few Tennessee daily papers, publishing that they would give legitimate support, and so forth for a teacher in Tennessee who would be eager to stand trial for having taught Darwinism in a government funded school so an experiment could be mounted to test the established legitimacy of the Act. A gathering of citizens in the residential area of Dayton acknowledged ACLU 's offer, with the expectation that the exposure encompassing the trial would help to switch the town 's declining fortunes. The group ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 8. The Importance Of Creationism In Schools Creationism does not explain how the earth was created, therefore it should not be taught as a science and should not be taught in schools. My thesis is important, because schools are trying to stop teaching evolution because they believe it is not the way life on earth started. The teaching of evolution in schools is important, because it teaches students the correct reason for how life on earth started. The articles that I collected for my research, where academic journals from the library data base and had a stand point towards science. My paper will give the reader a broader view point on why creationism should not be taught in schools and how evolution should remain in schools. Creationism has been a controversial topic in our school systems and schools in some states are fighting to have it taught instead of evolution as a science. Creationism is the belief that all living organisms originated from a biblical process instead of evolution. We will never really know how the earth was created, but by the use of science, we can get a better understanding of it. Therefore creationism should not be taught as a science and should not be taught in school. The teachers are the people that have to deal with this topic the most because of all the pressure they get from school administrators, parents and the community. Some science teachers have been told not to teach about evolution, but they did it nevertheless. One of the most famous cases was the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 9. The Public Schooling System Is Not The Same Since The public schooling system is not the same since they have been dwindling down the right for religion to be in schools. Religion needs to be put back into the school system so then maybe people will be more informed on things out in the real world. I am not saying that it needs to be a required course, however, give students the opportunity to learn about it. Among just making it a course in itself one course it could be reintroduced to is the science class. They talk about evolution but yet they do not teach about creationism. In history classes they can reintroduce religion because important religious facts (like Martin Luther King Jr. being a black priest) have been taken out of school text books so people do not get offended. When I say religion needs to be put back in the schooling system I mean most religions that are in the world today and not just Christianity. Students would do a lot better in school if there was some sort of religious class being taught. I understand that schools cannot teach just any one religion legally because people in today 's world are taking the first amendment to seriously. However, if they could, they might see a lot of students excelling in school. This includes all students, because they are learning more about their beliefs and if they want, other beliefs as well as learning better how to cope with today 's society. It would have been better for me for the simple fact that I would have been relying more on God then what I was ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 10. The Importance Of Creationism In Schools Creationism has been a controversial topic in our school systems, and schools in some states are fighting to have it taught instead of evolution as a science. Creationism is the belief that all living organisms originated from a biblical process instead of evolution. There is no clear understanding of how the earth was really created, but by the use of science, their can be a better understanding of it, therefore creationism should not be taught as a science and should not be taught in school. The teachers are the people who have to deal with this topic the most because of all the pressure they get from school administrators, parents and the community. Some science teachers have been told not to teach about evolution, but they did it nevertheless. One of the most famous cases was the famous "monkey trial" which was a court case for John T. Scopes of Rhea County High School in Dayton, Tennessee. The issue behind the Scopes trial was because he taught about evolution after he was told by the school administration that he was not allowed to and was later convicted. "When the famous 'monkey trial' ended, Scopes was convicted of violating a Tennessee law that made it a crime to "teach any theory that denies the story of the Devine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man is descended from lower order of animals."(2008). John T. Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution instead of creationism in school and was taken to ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 11. Religion and Science in the Classroom Essay Science, in Albert Einstein's words, "describes what is." "Such a description consists of certain laws of nature, which summarize observed patterns, and theories" (Peshkin 46). Science and religion are the main components of the ongoing national debate about the teaching of evolution in our public schools (Peshkin 46).Various religions reject or ignore the contributions of science, arguing that science displaces God, questions religious belief, and degrades morality (Molloy 547). Others disagree, appreciating science and the important information that has broadened our knowledge by providing explanations for natural phenomenon, and continuously enriching our lives. In some religions and traditions, science poses ethical questions. Does... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... If public school teachers want to inform students about creationism, they should do so in a religion class, not a science class. "Intelligent design or Creationism, as typically viewed on by its American advocates, draws on a literal interpretation of the Judeo–Christian tradition that the world is no more than 6,000 years old and that all species of life on the planet were created over a period of 6 days by a monotheistic deity" (Overton 934). In contrast, evolutionary theory maintains that biological life originated by way of a natural selection process over billions of years (Morris 78).The concept of evolution, since its inception as a scientific theory through publication of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species" in 1859, has faced religious opposition (Verma 206). Intelligent Design has been gaining acceptance in the United States. According to a series of polls, conducted during the last 25 years, about 50% Americans believe in the original form of Creationism (Lewontin, 2005). Former President Bush agreed to teaching evolution and intelligent design side by side in science classes (Dawkins & Coyne, 2005). A school board in Dover, Pennsylvania voted against introduction of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in biology classes (Goodstein, 2005). In Kansas the school board accepted intelligent design as part of the curriculum alongside evolution (Wilgoren, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 12. Creationism vs. Evolutionism in Public Schools Debate: Creationism vs. Evolution in Schools: 1st Affirmative Constructive Speech Creationism and Evolutionism by definition are very different topics. Currently, evolutionary naturalism is the most widely taught view of origins in America. In schools in the modern day, only evolutionism is taught and condoned. But before the 1920s, only creationism was taught, and evolution was forbidden. Then, on February 20, 2008, the Florida State Board of Education voted to revise the public school guidelines to require teachers to teach only Evolutionism. The law was passed with a very narrow 4–to–3 vote in favor of the law. Our resolution (affirmative side) is to teach both the theories of evolution and creationism side by side. This would ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... An additional chink in the system is that the theory of evolution has many gaps that need to be filled by something like the theory of creation. While evolution may be the dominating theory in Florida school boards, it does not provide some answers to several areas that Creationism may actually answer, such as how the first organism, Earth, or the entire Universe came to be. On the other hand, Creationism has equally as many holes that can be filled by the Evolutionary Theory such as how all the species of the earth became what they are now. Creationism and Evolutionism are not that different. In 1969, when American astronauts first stood on the moon, they read from the bible. Men of science and technology, reading from the Book of Genesis. This is an example of how an individual can believe in evolution and other scientific theories and still have faith. Our plan to resolve these harms is this: the state of Florida should teach Creationism and Evolution side by side. Each theory would be taught sequentially and would have its own chapter of discussion. Teaching both, side by side, in the same class would provide a fair and equal opportunity of religion, education and choice. It would give the youth an opportunity to learn and expand their ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 13. Essay about The Origins of Life: Evolution vs Intelligent... Half a century ago, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech about the importance of government always maintaining an attitude of neutrality towards religion. President Kennedy stated, "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute." The United States has been a country, in which the separation of church and state has been adopted and assumed to be practiced, but there has been a perennial conflict disrupting the balance between church and state. In his innovative film, The Revisionaries, director Scott Thurman exposes how the public education system has become the latest battleground in the face of an old conflict – between religion and science – challenging the ideological edifice on which the nation stands.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This trend captured national attention when Don McLeroy, chairman of the Texas Board of Education and a pious young–earth creationist, oversaw the adoption of new science and history curriculum standards, which inevitably placed the state of Texas in the frontline of the so–called "culture wars." McLeroy, alongside his compatriots, most notably Cynthia Dunbar, an attorney from Houston and professor of Law at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, fought and won the battle to introduce intelligent design in the classroom. Ousting the scientific theory of evolution, according to its proponents, of its proper place. However, to truly grasp the essence of the controversy, one must understand the terminology of what school boards consensus as guiding definitions for science, the theory of evolution, and intelligent design. The common generalization shared by most Americans about science is that it's a systematic and logical approach to discovering how things work in the natural world. This is correct, however, it is worth mentioning that this is based on fact – not on opinion or preference – and all research is held accountable to the scientific method; a rigorous process that begins with a hypothesis (an educated guess), followed by the formulation of an experiment to test the relationship of the variables in question, and ultimately an analysis, conclusion and critique of what the results yield. Darwin's theory of evolution describes the biological processes of the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 14. The Louisiana Science Education Act Essay In the United States, evolution and creationism remain a controversial issue as far as which method should stay in science classes across the globe. How was the earth created? How were humans created? These are questions that arise in most science classes. Many students require an explanation of why people exist. There are those who would oppose evolution, and there are those who oppose creationism. Is there a significant difference between these methods? Several states have passed regulations that allow schools to teach both evolution and creationism. The Louisiana Science Education Act, in particular, is a highly controversial debate. The act allows teachers to teach adscititious materials in the classroom. Many opponents are looking to repeal this law. The Louisiana Science Education Act should not be repealed as it allows the student to engage in critical thinking skills, acknowledge both theories and ultimately decide which theory they believe. Looking back at our history creationism was the first explanation of why humans exist today. Since the beginning of time Christianity has played a significant role in religion. Christianity started in Jerusalem and expanded into many different denominations across the world. Therefore, Christianity is a religion based off of Jesus Christ and God the creator of the earth. "Creationism stemmed from several religions and is the belief that a higher being or deity created everything living thing in nature through divine intervention ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 15. Creationism Isn't Science but Belongs in Schools Essay Creationism Isn't Science but Belongs in Schools The origin of life has been a point of discussion for as long as history has been documented. Ancient Egyptians believed that the sun god Ra took another form, created land from a watery abyss and created everything, including gods and humans. The Iroquois, a tribe of Native Americans, told a story of god to human lineage that resulted in twins, one being evil and one being good. The good twin creates a picture perfect world. The evil twin reverses the good twin's actions by making things more complex and difficult for humans. Christians and Jews believe that God, their only god, created the earth and the heavens in six days, and on the seventh day ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He states that the inclusion of creationism would be a "startling blow to the fabric of science education." He goes on to say that the general understanding science students should have is "that people can confront the universe and learn about it directly" through scientific testing (520). The theory of creationism can not be tested using the earth and universe directly, and because of this Eldredge feels that it would be detrimental to students' general understanding of science. "Creationism Isn't Science" is the title of this essay and it explains the ideas of this essay in one sentence; the author, however, takes approximately six pages to reiterate this idea. Eldredge's main point is simply that creationism isn't a science and evolution is a vital theory in the field of science. The idea is basic; the theory of evolution is based in science and therefore is to be taught in a science curriculum. Evolution is the theory that there is "one basic scheme of similarities interlocking all of life." This theory is usually studied in biological fields but is useful in a number of other scientific fields. By explaining the uses of evolution in some scientific fields, Eldredge makes the point ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 16. The Controversy Over Creationism And Evolution Introduction The controversy over Creationism and Evolution is a widely debated topic, especially when it comes to what is being taught in the biology classrooms in public schools today. It may be hard to imagine, but just over 100 years ago the curriculum and beliefs would have looked dramatically different. One central court case that created a spark of bringing evolution to public schools was the infamous Scopes trial of 1925 in which science teacher John Scopes challenged Tennessee state law and taught evolution in his high school science class. Tennessee state legislature had passed a bill, known as the Butler Act just months before, banning the teaching of evolution. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented Scopes after his arrest in a case that riveted public attention. Although at trial Scopes was ultimately found guilty, the Butler Act was no longer enforced and laws prohibiting evolution being taught in the classroom continually were defeated over the course of the next two years. In 1968, the ACLU went to the Supreme Court on behalf of Susan Epperson to fight against the ban on teaching evolution in Arkansas. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the ban as unconstitutional as the First Amendment under the Establishment clause does not allow teachings to tailor to certain religions ("State of Tennessee V. Scopes," n.d.). For this project, we 'll take a deeper look at this controversy. With evolution being the commonly accepted theory among ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 17. Creationism : A Theory Of Primordial History One of the most discussed and debated phenomena in the history of education is that the hypothetical concept of evolution which can be considered as a theory of primordial history, moreover with the belief of creationism. Both have had an astounded impact in the framework of contemporary education should or should not be taught in the public classroom. Evolutionists and Creationists both have their reasons why their beliefs should be taught in the public classroom. The matter of the fact is that both of these are considered beliefs, things that are only backed by faith. Only faith, they are not supported by fact which makes them not a theory or hypothesis. Throughout history the debate between whether it is ethically right or wrong to teach these has been ongoing for too long and must come to a stop. These beliefs should not be taught in public schools due to the years of case law and disputed legislative actions, both of their belief systems, and the irrefutable facts that prove it morally wrong. Creationists believe that one divine God created the world around 10,000 years ago. This creation took six twenty– four hour days and he who created rested on the Sabbath (seventh day). They follow the creation of the earth through the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Creationists believe in many ways why their religion should be taught in schools over evolution. In order for this religion to get taught in schools they have created a "creation science." It is not exactly what ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 18. Should Evolution Be Taught In Schools Essay Have you ever wondered if evolution was the one and only way that humans came to be? Well, you are wrong! There is another side to this continuing argument. The United States Supreme Court declared that restricting an educator's right to teach the theory of evolution is unconstitutional. Disclaimers conveying the theory of evolution of humankind as the only explanation or development is unconstitutional. I believe that both creationism, and evolution both be taught, if anything. Let the students voice their own opinions based off their beliefs and evidence they individually gather. Creationism should be taught in schools, they do idol critical thinking skills. However, they still choose to overload them with information on an unproven ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Creationism is the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. As you can see, they are two competing theories. But only one seems to be taught in public schools, funny right? Nobody ever seems to criticize evolution in any course materials or textbooks, it just can't be stated as a scientific law. The controversy believes that sudden appearances of chaos from nothing and god can't be enough evidence. However, we can't find transitional fossils between ape and man to back up evidence for evolution. In conclusion, you now see where I am coming from. Evolution is no better than the theory of creation. But if you are going to teach the idea of one thing, at least show the competing theory and its side. Then you wind up with everyone thinking it is all one sided, and that can make people upset. So parents, teachers, staff, school boards, if you have a religion or beliefs, don't you want it to be heard. Maybe even taught if there are other sides to it. I am asking that you all stand up for what you believe in and make education ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 19. Intelligent Design In Public Schools Research Paper Teaching Intelligent Design in Public Schools What is the difference between belief and ethics? Where is the line drawn between faith and law? This is the debate fought by creationists and those who recognize evolution as true. The argument has been thrown back and forth for years. But, the real question is, should intelligent design be taught in public schools? In America, creationists believe that the world was created by a god, the majority of which is made up of Christians, are usually the the people that believe in intelligent design. This Christian theory states that all life on earth, and the earth itself, was created by an intelligent designer or god in their present form. There are variations in belief including "Young Earth Theory,"... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The opposition to this theory comes in part from those whose religious beliefs are contradicted by it, those who claim that evolution is "just a theory," and claim it is not a sound science because of the label. To understand that evolution is true and reliable, the definition of the word theory in a scientific context must first be understood. In Richard Dawkins' "The Greatest Show on Earth," this is explained, "The Oxford English Dictionary gives two meanings... Theory, Sense 1:... a hypothesis that has been confirmed or established by observation or experiment, and is propounded or accepted as accounting for the known facts... Theory, Sense 2: A hypothesis proposed as an explanation: hence, a mere hypothesis,speculation, conjecture..." It is proposed in this book that scientists and creationists are using these definitions in different contexts. Creationists use the second sense of the word theory, meaning a speculation of no value, and scientists use it in sense one, that of a proven hypothesis. In science the word theory is surpassed only by the word law in the sense of conveying certainty. In science, a theory is a hypothesis that has never been disproven, such as the theory of gravity. Evolution has been proven many times over through both observation and experiment, which is the reason it is taught in public schools. Though it has uncountable examples, only a fraction will be mentioned. Transitional fossils are one of the major concerns on the part of creationists. They use gaps in the fossils record to argue its unreliability. Transitional fossils are the species that lie in between the transition from one species to its ancestor or descendant. When these fossils are missing, it can seem far–fetched for a whale to develop from a land dwelling dog like animal, but when the fossils in between these two species are discovered, the transition becomes clearer. Though ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 20. Science Teachers and Professors Should Not Teach Creationism Where do we come from? How did this world, this universe originate? Questions that philosophers probably first of all, and successively scientists, dogmatists, little children, and imaginably almost the whole population of the Earth have at least once asked themselves and tried to answer, sometimes with convincing or satisfactory results, but presumably more frequently with no different outcome than numerous new interrogations. However, today we do have several answers, different according to areas of the world, distinct cultures and various religions, and each individual can choose what to believe; so the actual question, which remains unsolved, is the following: what should public schools teach to their students? The answer to this query... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... America is not a theocracy; indeed, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants the freedom of religion and states that the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect "a wall of separation between church and State" (Establishment Clause). Since public schools are in fact "public" institutions, related undeniably to the states, it would be illegal and unconstitutional to have them not distinctly separated from any church. Different would be, obviously, talking about private religious schools; those are in fact called "independent schools" or, more commonly, "nonstate schools" – which means, literally, not administered by any government, local, state or national. According to the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), even if the percentage of students attending Catholic schools has declined since 1995, it still reaches 12 %, which is an extremely high number; while among the top five reasons for parents to home school their children – with a 36 % agreement, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics – appears "a desire to provide religious instruction." This statement confirms that if parents do want their sons and daughters to learn about religion in a scholastic context, the only way to achieve ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 21. 20th Century American Public Schools Essay Teaching Origins in 20th Century American Public Schools Introduction The debate over the origins of the earth and of life has captivated and divided America since the late 19th Century. Evolutionists and creationists have battled in courtrooms , churches , academia , and public schools over the course of the 20th century and continue fighting, or attempting to make peace over, this culture war today. The debate has changed between the time of the Scopes Trial and the present in several important ways. First, creationists have developed many more diverse arguments, and employ not only biblical and moralistic arguments, but scientific evidence, logical arguments, and political rhetoric to counter evolutionary theory. Second, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Evolutionary theory has accrued evidence from diverse scientific fields and is now championed as the centerpiece of biology. Creationism has branched out to include scientific, moralistic, and probabilistic arguments, and its alliance with fundamentalist Christianity has helped it retain political power. Toumey asserts that "without the churches, academies, colleges, lobbies, rallies, broadcasts, and mailing lists of the New Religious Right, creationism would be an obscure oddity; with its Religious Right sponsors, however, it becomes a popular sensation that generates difficult public controversy about science education." Evolutionists have largely tried to control curricula at the level of national and state standards, and view the inclusion of creation models in public schools as a central part of the larger problem of the poor quality of science education in American schools. Creationists have typically worked on the local and state level, appealing to first amendment freedoms of religious practice and expression and attacking the validity of evolutionary theory. Historical Overview Since public education in the US has historically been controlled at the local and state level, the content of and emphasis placed on origins education has varied over time and by locality due to pressures from creationist and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 22. Creationism And Evolution : Louisiana Education Act Essay Creationism & Evolution: Louisiana Education Act In the United States, the theory of evolution and creationism has been strictly debated as far as which method if any should be taught in science classes across the globe. How was the earth created? Where did humans come from? These are questions that arise in most science classes. Many students require an explanation to why humans exist. There are those who would oppose evolution, and there are those who oppose creationism. Is there a significant difference between these methods? Several states have passed regulations that allow schools to teach both methods. The Louisiana Science Education Act, in particular, is an extremely controversial debate. The act allows teachers to teach adscititious materials in the classroom. Many opponents are looking to repeal this law. The Louisiana Science Education Act should not be repealed as it allows the student to engage in critical thinking skills, acknowledge both theories and ultimately decide which theory they believe in. Looking back at our history creationism was the first explanation of how humans were created. Since the beginning of time Christianity has played a significant role in religion. Christianity started in Jerusalem and expanded into many different denominations across the world. Therefore, Christianity is a religion based off of Jesus Christ and God the creator of the earth. "Creationism stemmed from several religions and is the belief that a higher being or deity ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 23. The Public Schooling System During The United States When looking at the history of America, it is fascinating to see how the public schooling system even got started. The first schools in America were not public schools, as many would presume. Instead, "the first schools in the United States were religious and not secular" (Elifson 1). Nearly all public schools, up to the 1960's incorporated religion and prayer in their classrooms; however, in the last 50 years, prayer and religion in public schools has been debated over countless times. Even in Hudsonville, Michigan, which holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most churches on a single street, there is much debate over prayer and the teaching of Christianity, or any religion, in the public schools. When I ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Samuel Ayers and Shelly Reid are two educators at schools in Texas and they agree with this statement. They argue constantly in their article that religions are essential in teaching social studies. Reid and Ayers contend that, "[the] very faces of Europe and Africa were changed as Muslims and Christians battled over lands during the Middle Ages" (2). They also state that in other countries, "entire social systems are based on religious beliefs" (2). Consequently, this points to the fact that religion, in its entirety, is immensely important in teaching students the history of nations and many social systems that nations uphold. Reid and Ayers have proven that after receiving the knowledge of religion in some countries and understanding why their respective religions were important to them, "[students] achieved a deeper understanding of many current events, [especially] those involving the Middle East"(Ayers and Reid 2). It is perfectly clear that in many circumstances, knowing the religious background of a nation will help enlighten the students to better understand why some nations hold a particular stance on a given matter (Ayers and Reid 1–3). Another author, Rob Boston, talks about this subject in less detail. He argues that "legitimate instruction about religion as an academic subject in public schools [is not] a problem. As long ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 24. Creationism : A Theory Of Primordial History One of the most discussed and debated phenomena in the history of education is that the hypothetical concept of evolution which can be considered as a theory of primordial history, moreover with the belief of creationism. Both have had an astounded impact in the framework of contemporary education should or should not be taught in the public classroom. Evolutionists and Creationists both have their reasons why their beliefs should be taught in the public classroom. The matter of the fact is that both of these are considered beliefs, things that are only backed by faith. Only faith, they are not supported by fact which makes them not a theory or hypothesis. Throughout history the debate between whether it is ethically right or wrong to teach these has been ongoing for too long and must come to a stop. These beliefs should not be taught in public schools due to the years of case law and disputed legislative actions, both of their belief systems, and the irrefutable facts that prove it morally wrong. Creationists believe that one divine God created the world around 10,000 years ago. This creation took six twenty– four hour days and he who created rested on the Sabbath (seventh day). They follow the creation of the earth through the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Creationists believe in many ways why their religion should be taught in schools over evolution. In order for this religion to get taught in schools they have created a "creation science." It is not exactly what ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 25. Why Creationism Should Not Be Taught in Public Schools... A hotly debated topic concerning public schools centers on the origin of life. Now more than ever, science and religion are butting heads. What should public schools teach to their students? Alex Rainert reasons that both "science and religion are engaged in the same project, to discover the origin of life" (141). In short, one could better describe the debate as a crusade between evolutionists and creationists; both sides have their well–founded arguments, but when one looks at the decisions of the courts, clearly only one side may win the battle when deciding biology curriculum in schools. Despite an overwhelming number of individuals in favor of teaching creationism in public education, science classes should refrain from becoming a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Otherwise, teaching creationism encroaches upon separation of church and state. Certainly many Americans in favor of teaching both theories may do so for the sake of imparting critical thinking skills to our schoolchildren. Costley and Killins agree with this notion, emphasizing that true academics teaches schoolchildren alternate theories as well as analytical thinking (5). As a result, creationists weigh in heavily at schools, compelling them to introduce other scientific theories dealing with the origin of life (Raymo 152). In this regard, when it applies to all area of academics, many more people would agree. Teaching only one theory on any matter seems indicative of a totalitarian form of education. Therefore, teachers should want to introduce students to as many alternative theories as possible. However, the dissenting theories they present must have factual ground on which to stand on. Since the theory of creationism stands on shaky ground scientifically, it should have no place in science education classes. Interestingly, Alex Rainert, a man in favor of teaching both creationism andevolution, states that evolution is as much a theory as the theory of plate tectonics or Einstein's theory of relativity. Yet, he explains, a campaign against those theories in courtrooms is, in essence, nonexistent (140). ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 26. The Case Of Epperson V. Arkansas In the wake of the Scopes trial in Tennessee, the State of Arkansas passed an "anti–evolution" statute in 1928, that made it illegal "to teach the theory or doctrine that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animals," or "to adopt or use in any such institution a textbook that teaches the doctrine or theory that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animal." Forty years later, the case of Epperson v. Arkansas (1968) was argued before the Supreme Court. The case originated in 1965, when Susan Epperson was hired to teach 10th grade biology at Little Rock Central High School. The local school board had recently adopted, as a part of an approved curriculum, a new biology textbook that included a section on evolution. Immediately, Epperson recognised her dilemma; that to teach the required curriculum would put her at risk for dismissal under the "anti–evolution" statute. A suit was filed to challenge the constitutionality of the statute, and the State Chancery Court of Pulaski County ruled that the statute was unconstitutional. This ruling was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1967. Upon appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court held that: Arkansas ' law cannot be defended as an act of religious neutrality. Arkansas did not seek to excise from the curricula of its schools and universities all discussion of the origin of man. The law 's effort was confined to an attempt to blot out a particular theory because of its supposed conflict with the Biblical ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 27. Compare And Contrast Edwards Vs Aguillard In the late nineteen–eighties, Edwards v. Aguillard argued that a Louisiana law was against the First Amendment of the Constitution. This law prohibited public schools from teaching about evolution and the evolutionary processes unless the topic was taught alongside religious based creation theories. More specifically, this law imposed on public schools was argued to have broken the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This clause simply says that absolutely no law can establish or support a religion ("Establishment Clause", 2011). Many people challenged the state's law including local parents and teachers as well as men and women with religious affiliations. Ultimately, the Supreme Court found that the state's act was unlawful according to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment due to the fact that there was no non–religious basis to the act. The creation theories are entirely based around the idea that an all–powerful god created the human race. Therefore the state is promoting this religious teaching. Although it was argued that the act was to give students more opportunities to learn, the point was made that the teachers lost the power to make decisions in his or her own classroom. Furthermore, the law inhibits the learning of children by banning the teaching of evolution unless creation is also taught in the classroom. The law... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Aguillard. I agree with the verdict of this case. Louisiana's law was clearly put into place to diminish the validity behind the evolution theory. This is in clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The First Amendment is fairly clear, but the Establishment Clause is even more straightforward. This clause is absolute, saying that no law can be in place supporting any establishment of religion or religion itself ("Establishment Clause", ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 28. Should Creationism Be Taught In Public Schools Essay If you walk into a public school science classroom and ask the students what they were taught pertaining to the creation of the universe, most likely the majority of them will talk about the Big Bang theory or the theory of evolution. This has always been a topic of interest that has caused many debates on whether public schools should teach creationism in the classrooms. Creationism is the belief that the universe was created by specific acts of divine creation and is more known as Genesis to the Abrahamic religions. In my opinion creationism is a subject that should be taught alongside of science because it can develop critical thinking skills for the students, it will satisfy the demand of the people, and will fulfill our freedom of speech. Many educators will disagree that creationism should be taught in public schools because they say it is disapproved by science and will be a waste of time since it is religious. Creationism is no more religious than the theory of the Big Bang, if you ask me it takes greater faith to believe that something came out of nothing. The Big Bang theory is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... We can agree that scientist are people whose job is to explain why something is how it is, but there humans just like us and they also have their own beliefs therefore they can be bias, since there not neutral and like everybody else they grew up with certain beliefs that can determines what they do with the evidence. After spending some time doing research on scientific theories about creation and creationism, I can say that all the theories of creation is no more truthful than creationism, and instead of just teaching scientific theories in the school system, we should push for creationism to be taught as well for the purpose of supplying demand, freedom of speech, and developing critical thinking skills in ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 29. Evolution vs. Creation Essay Don't Monkey Around in Class "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Words of this nature have been questioned for thousands of years–by naturalists, materialists, humanists, etc.–and, in more recent times, have led to court cases, heated arguments, and public debates. The major debate intended to be covered in this piece is that of whether or not evolution should be taught in classrooms. Also, if it is to be taught, should it be taught as fact or theory? It is also intended to present enough evidence to disprove evolution altogether and, as a result, make it much less than a theory, but actually the vain opinions of a man who chose not to accept the truth. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Organisms either appeared on the earth fully developed or they did not. If they did not, they must have developed from preexisting species by some form of modification. If they did appear in a fully developed state, they must indeed have been created by some omnipotent intelligence" (qtd. in Gish). Furthermore, if evolution were true, "there would be countless fossils of transitional forms...., millions of fossils showing various stages in the gradual transition of kinds of organisms into different kinds...., and 'missing links'" (Parker, et al, 367). "Charles Darwin himself recognized this problem: 'The number of intermediate varieties, which have formerly existed, must be truly enormous. Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps is the most obvious and serious objection to the theory" (Parker, et al, 367). Darwin's doubts, however, do not stop there: "To suppose that the eye...could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree" (Parker, et al, 381). Also, with respect to transitional forms and the fact that the animal must be alive and fully functional during any change, he says, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which by numerous, successive modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. Gregory Parker's text also ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 30. The Theory Of Evolution Of Creationism The theory of evolution is at odds with the views of many religions, and many people want to allow a religious view of creationism to be taught in the public school system. The foundation of evolution is based upon the belief that the origin of all ordered complex systems, including living creatures, can be explained by natural laws without the initiation or intervention of God. A person who believes in the biblical model of creation is viewed by some non– believers as a naive, narrow–minded religious fanatic who is not willing to look at the observable evidence with an open mind. Because the evolutionary idea of origins has been so widely accepted by the scientific community, many people have reasoned that the creation model should be completely rejected without fairly examining its claims. Even many Christians who have deep trust and faith in the Bible have never really understood the claims of the creation account (McLean 11). Over the past several years, a great deal of controversy surrounding the creation–evolution issue has been generated by scientists who have based their claims on the creation model and have been willing to let their reputations stand. Creationists have openly requested that when the discussion of origins occurs in the public school system, both the model of creation and evolution be presented side by side. Initially, scientists and educators who have accepted the theory of evolution without question were reluctant to pay any serious attention to ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 31. The Scopes Trial And Its Impact On The American Education... The Scopes Trial is a standout amongst the most well–known trials in American history. The trial was a lawful case in 1925 in which a substitute high school teacher, John Scopes, was charged with violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach Darwinism in any state –financed school. This trial was a gathering between various polar opposites, for example, Fundamentalism and Modernism. The clash between fundamentalism and modernism during the Scopes Trial had a significant impact on the American education system. In America, in the 1920s, two significant cultural movements arose that eventually clashed. A Christian fundamentalist movement arose in America and the fundamentalist's goal during this time was to recover and publicly institutionalize old time religious fundamental values. Fundamentalist believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and thus strongly objected to the teachings of Charles Darwin, since his theory of evolution contradicted the origin of man as found in the Bible. In the 1920s, the Christian fundamentalist began to gain political power across America and started passing legislation banning the teaching of Darwinism in state funded schools. At the same time cultural modernism was also rising in America. Modernist believes in a secular government and their agenda was education, democratic reforms, and economic progress. These two conflicting ideologies would inevitably clash, which occurred in the Scopes Trial of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 32. Evolution Of Science And Religion Evolution is one of the major concepts in biology that had aroused a struggle between science and religion. There are two different viewpoints that have appeared from this conflict, one from scientists and one from the creationists. The scientists view evolution as a long–term process during which living organisms have developed over time. The teaching method that they see fit to this concept is through material in biology textbooks. These textbooks contain information on how certain species, organisms, and terrains evolved over time. However, the creationists have an opposing viewpoint on evolution. They view evolution not from the scientific standpoint, but from the biblical and religious standpoint – that God had created everything. Creationists object to evolution mainly because of this standpoint. Thus, they believe that evolution should not be studied through the scientific information found in textbooks, but instead it should be studied from the bible. According to the creationists, the bible has a wide variety of statements that show how God had played a major role in the creation of the universe, and in the evolution of species, all of which relate to the scientific "development over time" standpoint. Ken Ham, who is interviewed in the pbs video "What about God," says that evolution is an evil to be fought, and he points out some of the conflicts the bible has with secular science that deals with origins. One of the conflicts that he listed was that "the Bible says ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 33. Argumentative Essay: The First Amendment Of The Constitution The 1st Amendment of the constitution was implemented for one simple reason: to guarantee the basic human rights of the American citizens. The American citizens wanted to be assured of their basic and personal freedoms, so the founding fathers gave them that when they created the 1st Amendment. One of the specific things this Amendment guarantees for its citizens, is the right to exercise their religious freedom. Before the revolutionary war, there wasn't much separation between church and state. They were under a British government, forcing them to follow the ways of the Anglican church. Citizens were required to attend church once a month in order to receive government news and if citizens were not apart of the church, they still had to pay taxes to fund it.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This sector of the 1st Amendment is called the Establishment Clause. After a case called Lemon v. Kurtzman in 1971 regarding religious freedom in public schools, a test to ensure that a law was respecting the Establishment Clause was created. "First, the legislature must have adopted the law with a secular purpose. Second, the statute's principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion. Third, the statute must not result in an excessive entanglement of government religion." This three–pronged test helps ensure that everyone, including students in public schools, have a right to their own religious freedoms and no particular religion is forced upon them which is what the Establishment Clause is all about in the first ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 34. Creationism Vs. Creationism : Creationism And Creationism Lunden Wright 5th Period English 10–Beasely Date Creationism vs. Evolutionism "In religion faith is a virtue; in science it's a vice" (Jerry A. Coyne). There are many debates between creationism and evolution. Creationism is the belief that a creator created the Earth. Many religions believe in a holy creator or creators. Creationists believe that the forged Earth was complete and never changed. Evolution is the belief that all life started from a single atom and changed overtime into the world we live in. Evolutionists believe the designed Earth changed and evolved throughout time. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace created the evolution theory (Giberson). The major debate is science against religion. A belief is present that both... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The evolutionism and creationism debate ushers confusion through many misunderstandings and false beliefs. Creationists try to attack the scientific community about disagreeing on evolution. Their disagreements lead to a better understanding about the world. There is only one Evolution theory just has there are only one definite other theories. The father of genetics is Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin was a naturalist who went on the HMS Beagle around the Galapagos Island. He learned about genetics and natural selection. He was the man who theorized Darwinism, or evolution. Creationists naively try to discredit evolution without knowing the full and true definition. Evolution is not the theory of the origin of life. In addition, the theory of evolution cannot explain the origin of the universe. By that definition, there could be no mutations or variations. The simple definition of evolution is the change of gene frequencies over time. There is profuse evidence throughout the studies of anatomy, paleontology and morphology. These studies show the evolution of plants and animals. Fossil records also provide additional evidence to support evolution. There are many examples of animals and plants changing overtime but the boldest change are modern whales. Whales have had relatives and ancestors with bears, sheep, camel, and pigs over the past 53 million (Pigliucci). Scientist in the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 35. The Importance Of Creationism And Intelligent Design Creationism and Intelligent Design theories should be taught in public schools with evolution. "The idea that students should hear both sides of the evolution debate enjoys widespread popular support. An opinion poll from the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life revealed that nearly two–thirds of Americans believe that creationism, in some form, should be taught alongside evolution"(Warnick, 2009, p. 305)." Creation and Intelligent Design theories should be taught in public schools, with evolution. Teaching about evolution with no clarity of how or if it fits with biblical creation can cause confusion, especially for students raised in only a biblical creationist setting may not know if the two are reconcilable. Teaching about just creationism without clarifying how or if the two are reconcilable causes the same situation as above. (b) Statements in clear language that show why the issue is important. While normally this would be related to culture, social science or philosophy, it matters here because both creationism and science teach origins of life. There are many Christians who would like to know about creationism and evolution, and students should be able to learn about each. Because of these reasons, both should be taught so the students are exposed to diverse information and perspectives so they can decide for themselves. The debate on teaching creationism, evolution, or both in public schools has been an issue in the United States since the Scopes Monkey Trial ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 36. Evolution & Creationism in Education Essay Evolution & Creationism in Education The twentieth century has witnessed the escalation of the creation – evolution debate through famous court cases and Supreme Court decisions on the teaching of evolution in public schools, culminating most recently in a Kansas Board of Education decision. As this highly controversial issue of the teaching of evolution in American classrooms rages on, it may be difficult for some individuals of Christian faith to form an alternative belief other than the extremes of creationism and evolutionism. Before discussing this issue any further, when I refer to strict beliefs in creationism or evolution as extreme views I am not necessarily implying that they are wrong, but are simply two views on completely ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Many Christians today would answer "no" to this question. Accepting the theory of evolution as a possible explanation of how we came into existence does not deny God as our Creator or that He remains at work today. Instead, it is entirely possible to believe that God used the process of evolution to create the human species. In addition, evolution should continue to be taught in public schools, even if this requires the presentation of dissenting views so that students may formulate their own beliefs. History of the 20th Century Creation – Evolution Debate The creation – evolution debate entered the education realm in the early 1920's when several states prohibited the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Stephen Jay Gould (1999) reports that this led to the famous 1925 Scopes "monkey trial" in Dayton, Tennessee, and the conviction of high school teacher John Scopes on the grounds of teaching evolution in a public school. An article on the world wide web entitled "The Scopes 'monkey trial,'" says the trial pitted prosecuting attorney William Jennings Bryan against defense attorney Clarence Darrow on the issue of the constitutionality of a Tennessee law, the "Butler Law," which specifically forbade the teaching of evolution in the state. Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Kentucky already had similar laws. David L. Marcus (1999) adds, however, that the Tennessee Supreme Court later overturned the ruling on a technicality. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 37. Creationist Argument Against Creationism As seen from the infographic, Creationism meets absolutely none of the requirements to be considered a science; for instance, Creationism has no physical evidence, is not repeatable, and has no backing from any other branch of science. In this specific instance, evolution is the comparative to Creationism. Unlike its counterpart, evolution can be repeatedly tested because it is still happening to this day while the beliefs of Creationism seem to have occurred only once. Additionally, if Creationism was to have any evidence, it would probably be the Bible, but not even that has scientific backing. Along with this Creationism cannot be backed by any branch of science, due to the fact that it does not follow the scientific method. Due to this, Creationism cannot be considered a science and in turn cannot be taught in place of a science curriculum. Despite this, Creationists still press for some form of their religious beliefs to be taught in the public school system. Fundamentalist Creationists do not stop at just asking for Creationism to be taught in public schools, as mentioned before, sometimes they turn to extremes. First, it is beneficial to understand the basis on which Creationists attempt to discredit science. One of the most common misconceptions from Creationism is that it is a suitable scientific alternative to the evolutionary theory. This is simply not true, as evident from the aforementioned infographic. Using this as the foundation for their argument, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 38. Politics Of The Polarized Classroom Essay Politics of the Polarized Classroom A Popular Trope By now, one must have already heard or read about the story of a young man standing up to his professor in philosophy class, the latter being a self–professed atheist. Simply put, the professor claimed that it was stupid to believe in God because there was no empirical proof of God. The young man, however, wittily retorts that since the class really had no empirical proof of the professor's brain, then they really had no business believing him. The same trope is basically used in a more elaborated rendition in the recent Christian film God's Not Dead (2014). There, an atheist professor challenges a Christian student for his irrational beliefs, but suddenly comes to terms with the irrationality of his own belief system by the end of the movie (Noble). An average movie at best, it can be said that richer meaning might be found in the circumstances of its creation. Movies, after all, mimic aspects of reality regardless of genre, so that the political realities described therein are hardly fictional in nature. Simply put, "to create a film is to participate politically" (Christensen and Haas 6). Here, it is profitable to point out the three things both texts have in common: (1) both feature an atheistic professor; (2) both feature a Christian student who avidly believes God; and (3) both occur in the classroom. These factors are important to note, and the third point needs stressing, as it is central to the plot of both texts. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 39. The Debate of Orgin: Creationsim versus Evolutionism In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. Or so it said. Then this mystical being, this Intelligent Designer, went on. He made the sun and the moon, the sea and the lands, and all the beasts of the planet. Then, he concluded with man. All this creation in 6 short days. Everything that we know, everything that we are, is supposedly derived from this short span of mass design. However, this information is quite contradictory to what modern science tells us. And that, in and of itself, is the essence of the nationwide debate. Should Creationism, or as it is sometimes labeled, Intelligent Design, be taught in public schools? The answer, of course, is no. 23% of High School students surveyed said that no, they do not believe in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... IN fact, during the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case, it was found that it is "unconstitutional for a Pennsylvania school district to present intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in high school biology courses because it is a religious viewpoint that advances 'a particular version of Christianity,'" (Goodstein 1) And what is more, it is morally wrong to teach a science that we know to be false to the future generations of our country. Many people argue that Evolution is "just a theory" and "has large gaps" while failing to realize that a scientific theory is considered valid fact, especially when it is as broadly accepted as Evolution. Furthermore, the theory of Evolution has physical evidence, regardless of how Creationists like to interpret it, which is more than can be said for Intelligent Design. Fossil records, carbon dating, rock superposition, and DNA relations are all superb and examples, to name only a few. Many other Creationists would argue that it is "unfair" to teach one theory and not the other. Besides the obvious constitutional problems and the problem with Intelligent Design being deemed an illegitimate science, this statement is still a tough pill to swallow. Essentially, these people are saying that regardless of one's religious beliefs, all students need to be ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...