What are your thoughts on teaching evolution in schools? (science, law, GED)

[VASpaceMan]

Triangle Residents - What are your thoughts on teaching evolution in schools?

Mod note - This thread has been moved from a NC forum by a moderator there. The wording in the poll was changed to eliminate NC references.

[Voltige]

I can't believe that there is even a debate about this. Yes, it should be taught.

[eloyfan]

Nothing in reality should even compete for attention with scientific fact. Everything to be seen is the product of evolution.

[mamasplace]

Evolution is still a theory- even though it is being taught as factual.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by mamasplace

Evolution is still a theory- not a fact.

Can you prove evolution is not a "fact?"

Isn't the true essence of "theory" the absence of proof of fact or fiction?

[NewUser]

Folklore should be left to the home and place of worship. Science should be taught in the schools.

[toobusytoday]

This thread has been moved from a North Carolina forum. Welcome NC posters. Feel free to continue the discussion here, understanding that we are now talking about teaching evolution in all US schools.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by mamasplace

Evolution is still a theory- even though it is being taught as factual.

Evolution is a fact. Don't confuse evolution (change in genome over time, which is observable (and has been observed many times)) with Darwin's theory of natural selection. The latter is technically a theory, but not really debated much anymore, except at the edges (kin selection or not, etc).

BTW, I support the idea of presenting creationism as well, but in religion or humanities classes, not in science classes.

[Pitt Chick]

I don't care WHAT is taught in the Triangle.

Evolution is taught here.. as well it should be.

[Stijl Council]

Originally Posted by mamasplace

Evolution is still a theory- even though it is being taught as factual.

If you replaced "evolution" in that sentence with "germ theory" you'd see the problem with that statement immediately.

It's a popular misconception that a theory is an idea that becomes a law when proven. A law is a relationship between two concepts that can be explained mathematically. A scientific theory is a comprehensive, well-supported explanation for the things we observe.

We have a law of universal gravitation that explains the rate at which things fall, and also a theory of gravity that attempts to explain why things always fall downwards. Likewise, we have laws in the context of evolution (like the Hardy-Weinberg law).

Some theories -- like the aforementioned germ theory -- have such broad support that you're not going to be able to find any scientists who disagree with it, and most people would accept it as a proven fact that germs cause disease. That doesn't make it not a theory, or non-factual. Evolution has a similarly broad base of support among people who actually do science day-to-day.