Uncommon Descent Serving The Intelligent Design Community

Bush: Teach ‘Intelligent Design’

William Dembski
August 2, 2005
Intelligent Design
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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/02/politics/main713302.shtml

(AP) President Bush said Monday he believes schools should discuss “intelligent design” alongside evolution when teaching students about the creation of life.

During a round-table interview with reporters from five Texas newspapers, Mr. Bush declined to go into detail on his personal views of the origin of life. But he said students should learn about both theories, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.

“I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought,” Mr. Bush said. “You’re asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.”

Comments
Don't forget the rest, scordova: " It should take all of about 10 minutes to teach it and then children can be allowed to make up their own minds in the face of evidence. For children who study hard and keep an open mind, it seems to me utterly inconceivable that they could conclude anything other than that evolution is true."vax
August 3, 2005
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Presumably this quote on creation science by Dawkins is extensible to intelligent design. Ironically, it's one of the few times Dawkins is in agreement with Bush. " I really have less trouble than some of my colleagues with so-called creation science being taught in the public schools as long as evolution is taught as well. By all means let creation science be taught in the schools. --Richard Dawkins "scordova
August 3, 2005
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I believe Bush is publicly willing to make a statement friendly toward ID at this time because he and his advisors sense he will find support by doing so. Imagaine the converse. What if Bush said, "Only Darwin should be taught." One can imagine the effect that would have had on his political base. Intelligent design is becoming mainstream if it's not already. Jason Rosenhouse last Fall in his blog wrote prophetically: " We are past the point where we must worry about adding legitimacy to creationism. It is already viewed as legitimate by a majority of Americans. I suspect if you held a vote asking people if they wanted ID taught alongside evolution as a legitimate scientific theory, evolution would lose in every state in the union. " Although I disagree with Rosenhouse conflating creationism with ID, he does make a point about the lack of acceptance of Darwinian evolution in America and the fundamental desire for "fair play". Bush has simply publicly supported the majority position. His doing so now, whether right or wrong, is still a barometer of public sentiment on the issue.scordova
August 2, 2005
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I still support Bush, but sometimes I'm embarrassed to be a Republican.EmmaPeel
August 2, 2005
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I am a strong supporter of ID and of President Bush. But I am somewhat distressed to see this story. It appears from the story that Bush was asked about this by a reporter, so I guess he had no choice but to give an answer. But I am afraid that ID will be associated in many people’s minds with a particular political point of view and be instantly dismissed by many liberals, moderates, and apolitical people as simply some Republican or right-wing thing. Those not inclined towards political conservatives or the GOP will harden themselves against ID rather than genuinely look at the problems with evolution and the alternative ID proposes. I really hope ID will serve to enlighten people about how to think about science and origins, rather than just descend into yet another issue in the red state/blue state wars.PL
August 2, 2005
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I wonder if you could help me understand something. How does the intelligent design inference not violate the composition category error?MWC
August 2, 2005
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