The two antievolution bills on the horizon in New Hampshire have now been prefiled in the state House of Representatives. House Bill 1148, introduced by Jerry Bergevin (R-District 17), would charge the state board of education to "[r]equire evolution to be taught in the public schools of this state as a theory, including the theorists' political and ideological viewpoints and their position on the concept of atheism."
Make no mistake about it, this bill is in direct opposition to sound science education, and is purposely politicizing an inherently non-political issue. The fact of evolution is not influenced by the theological stance of those who study it (although the inverse in not always true). The "position on the concept of atheism" requirement would likely backfire on these politicians, since teachers can point to any number of theistic evolutionists out there in the public sphere. The second bill:
House Bill 1457, introduced by Gary Hopper (R-District 7) and John Burt (R-District 7), would charge the state board of education to "[r]equire science teachers to instruct pupils that proper scientific inquire [sic] results from not committing to any one theory or hypothesis, no matter how firmly it appears to be established, and that scientific and technological innovations based on new evidence can challenge accepted scientific theories or modes." Although HB 1457 as drafted is silent about "intelligent design," Hopper's initial request was to have a bill drafted that would require "instruction in intelligent design in the public schools." Both bills were referred to the House Education Committee; HB 1148 is scheduled for a hearing on February 9, 2012, and HB 1457 is scheduled for a hearing on February 14, 2012. A columnist for the NashuaTelegraph (July 3, 2011) who interviewed Bergevin and Hopper about their bills commented, "My taxpayer dollars pay science teachers to teach science, not philosophy. Let's hope lawmakers don't try to get in the way."
Thank goodness for New Hampshire columnists like David Brooks (its a great column, you should check it out, too). One particularly ironic line is when Brooks quotes Rep. Jerry Bergevin as saying:
The timing couldn't be better for those bill hearings, since they fall during the same week as Darwin Day 2012. I'll be watching this one closely.
“My LSR is not anti-evolution, I am anti-indoctrination.”
I wonder if Rep. Bergevin is anti-indoctrination with regard to his childrens' religious upbringing. I'm guessing he made an exception in that case. Rep. Gary Hopper was less opaque about his motivation for sponsoring his bill:
“I had been filled with this theory of evolution, which if you really boil it down, is a theory that we are here by accident, that there is no purpose. The conclusion is that we’re a bunch of accidents … you really have no purpose for existence,” he said.
“Teaching a child that it’s very possible that they were designed would infer that they actually have a purpose. There’s some purpose they were created, so that is a reason to live. Right now, we’re teaching children that basically they’re animals.”
Brooks's pitch-perfect reply sums my feelings on the matter quite well:
I suspect that many people reject evolutionary theory for this very reason: It seems empty and meaningless to them.
If I may talk philosophy for a moment, I think this is exactly backward. Creationism is meaningless, but evolution is a door to infinite wonder.
Saying that I exist because of the same processes and materials that lead to sunsets, rainbows and the moons of Saturn (to choose a few cool things), and that we as humans can study and understand these processes – that is meaningful. It makes me part and parcel of this whole glorious universe in intricate ways.
Saying that we were created out of nothing by an unknown or unknowable being, an explanation that leaves no room for further study or understanding – that strikes me as ultimately empty and meaningless.
But this is irrelevant here, because it has no bearing on what to teach in science class.
The timing couldn't be better for those bill hearings, since they fall during the same week as Darwin Day 2012. I'll be watching this one closely.
0 comments:
Post a Comment