The Knitting Fiend

Evidently, science students in Dover, Pennsylvania will listen to something like this before studying evolution:

“Because Darwin’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin’s view.”

(Source The Wall Street Journal.

I don’t know about you, but I’m all for it! It is important for students to learn that scientific theories are tested against evidence and refined over time. They should consider the possibility that technology will progress more rapidly by attributing all open questions to the existence of a “intelligent actor” who cased things to be this way.

In fact, it’s so wonderful, I think highschool science teachers should begin their discussion of gravity with this:

“Because Newtons’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Gravitation is an explanation of gravitational attraction and celestial mechanics that differs from Newton’s view.

They should begin discussion of genetics with this:

“Because Mendel’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Breeding is an explanation of inheritance that differs from Mendel’s view.

Their discussion of chemistry should begin with this:

“Because Dalton and Rutherford’s theories are theories, they continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Substantiation is an explanation of matter that differs from Dalton’s view.

Their discussion of continental drift should begin with this:

“Because Wegener’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Continental Motion is an explanation of continental drift that differs from Wegener’s view.

Their discussion of thermodynamics with this:

“Because Carnot’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Manipulation of Heat and Work is an explanation of power generation and refrigeration that differs from Carnot’s view.

Turning to math, I think teachers should add this:

“Because Pythagoras’s theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact…Intelligent Triangulation is an explanation of the lengths of sides of triangles that differs from Pythagoras’s view.

I think starting high school science classes with questions like these will kick-start math and science education in this country.

Questioning is good. Who knows? Maybe perpetual motion machines are possible.

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For additional discussion of the theory of gravity, the theory of chromosomal inheritence and theories of thermodynamics, turn your pop-up blocker off, and click twice to visit these pages:

• Wikipedia (Theory of Gravity) (Note: New page loads mysteriously slowly. You can resize.)
• General Relativity
• Theory of Chromosomal Inheritence.
• Philosophy of Thermal Physics. (Note: New page loads slowly.)
• The Theory of Plate Tectonics. (Note: New page loads slowly.)
• Atomic theory. (Note: New page loads slowly.)
• Later developments in atomic theory.