South Carolina De-Evolving

[breakwall]

Well, S. Car. can be as stupid as they want. That's the way a Federal Republic works. It's a S. Car. problem. Not a national, or international, problem. Let the people of S. Car. deal with it.

Further, the constitution doesn't speak to the issue. Whoever that asshole is that thinks he's defending the constitution is is an idiot. Don't care which side he's on.

Ishmael

I think that in this case there are idiots on both sides. But I disagree that it's South Carolina's problem. And people in Kansas and this week in Pennsylvania are likely to agree.

It's symptomatic of a growing problem. I am not reactionary enough to place the blame on having an Administration that is steadfastly religious as the cause, that may simply be the affect of a pendulum shift of national sentiment.

But I do agree with the statement that "Science doesn't try to explain Religion, Religion shouldn't try to explain Science."

 

[LeahLo519]

Well, S. Car. can be as stupid as they want. That's the way a Federal Republic works. It's a S. Car. problem. Not a national, or international, problem. Let the people of S. Car. deal with it.

Further, the constitution doesn't speak to the issue. Whoever that asshole is that thinks he's defending the constitution is is an idiot. Don't care which side he's on.

Ishmael

Stupid people in large numbers can be a very powerful thing.

 

[ChauvanistPig]

Two stumbling points for Creationists.

1) Why aren't dinosaurs mentioned in the bible?

2) If God created us in his image, then whose image was God created in?

I'll stick with the ever evolving theory of evolution over hocus pocus any day.

 

[Ishmael]

I think that in this case there are idiots on both sides. But I disagree that it's South Carolina's problem. And people in Kansas and this week in Pennsylvania are likely to agree.

It's symptomatic of a growing problem. I am not reactionary enough to place the blame on having an Administration that is steadfastly religious as the cause, that may simply be the affect of a pendulum shift of national sentiment.

But I do agree with the statement that "Science doesn't try to explain Religion, Religion shouldn't try to explain Science."

I just don't see the "problem." What is the "problem?"

I doubt that the Republic, or science, is in any particular danger over this. It'll just cause another backlash when the kids grow up, go to college, think they know everything, and reject their previous schooling. Been that way for centuries, don't think it's going to change now.

Ishmael

 

[breakwall]

I just don't see the "problem." What is the "problem?"

I doubt that the Republic, or science, is in any particular danger over this. It'll just cause another backlash when the kids grow up, go to college, think they know everything, and reject their previous schooling. Been that way for centuries, don't think it's going to change now.

Ishmael

The problem is, that while the science and technology communities are screaming for the school systems to encourage more math and science-based curriculums because of an alarming drop in enrollment in these fields, the states in question are actually considering dumbing down the existing curriculum.

It's also wedge-strategy thinking. If the religious right can get evolution dethroned, then they set the precedent to have religion re-introduced into schools. You know, that was fine decades ago when we went to school and the Hindu kid stuck out like a sore thumb. But nowadays, with WASPs the minority in many of the classrooms, it just doesn't make any sense. Nor does it accomplish anything. School isn't a forum for religion. Just as church clearly isn't a forum for science.

 

[metasexual]

I just don't see the "problem." What is the "problem?"

I doubt that the Republic, or science, is in any particular danger over this. It'll just cause another backlash when the kids grow up, go to college, think they know everything, and reject their previous schooling. Been that way for centuries, don't think it's going to change now.

Ishmael

The "problem" is that the creationist movement advocates teaching our young based on provably non-rational positions and this is utterly destructive to a society. Some people will recover from this teaching, but many will not. The type of teaching is a cultural mental disease that is already affecting our technological capabilities. We are rapidly entering a highly competitive global environment and we need every single component of our intellectual ability to maintain our edge. Creationism is a direct threat to those abilities.

 

[Wrong Element]

For some reason I always pictured South Carolina as a pastoral state, with verdant rolling hills and placid people. You know, like Mayberry. I never knew that the undercurrent of ignorance was so strong there.

It's really a nice place to visit, particularly this time of year when it's not quite so hot. Their people, however, have been fucking things up pretty regularly for about 180 years.

If I were a college admissions officer, I'd look pretty carefully at any prospective student who received a high school education in a state where they teach 3000-year-old myths as science.

 

[bg23]

It's really a nice place to visit, particularly this time of year when it's not quite so hot. Their people, however, have been fucking things up pretty regularly for about 180 years.

If I were a college admissions officer, I'd look pretty carefully at any prospective student who received a high school education in a state where they teach 3000-year-old myths as science.

students with any sense would move the hell out of there.

 

[ChauvanistPig]

Was SC ever evolving? Must be why they don't believe in Evolution.

I'm sure they still think the world is flat.

 

[bronzeage]

You know, maybe evolution ISN'T the right theory. Certainly it seems that people are getting dumber, not smarter...

Evolution favors advantages. Maybe dumb has and advantage over smart that we can't see.

 

[breakwall]

Evolution favors advantages. Maybe dumb has and advantage over smart that we can't see.

Well, apparently they elect US Presidents.

*tiddy boom*
Thanks everyone! Try the meatloaf!

 

[Queersetti]

Evolution favors advantages. Maybe dumb has and advantage over smart that we can't see.

I think there may be something to that. It's possible that intelligence is an evolutionary dead end. An intelligence that creates advanced technology may inherently create the conditions for it's own destruction.

 

[fletch55102]

In Canada, provinces are in charge of setting up their own school curriculum. As Canada goes, Alberta is probably our most conservative province and there hasn't been a peep there, or anywhere else for that matter, about introducing "alternative theories" to counter evolution.

It would seem that perhaps this is a completely American phenomenon.

Well, the world is a BIT larger than the US and Canada, as it turns out. Do you think they're teaching evolution in Saudi Arabia, for example? The movement towards religion as the center of law isn't an American phenomena, as it turns out. We just think it is, because we think we're the center of the world.

-Fletch

 

[breakwall]

Well, the world is a BIT larger than the US and Canada, as it turns out. Do you think they're teaching evolution in Saudi Arabia, for example? The movement towards religion as the center of law isn't an American phenomena, as it turns out. We just think it is, because we think we're the center of the world.

-Fletch

I guess I was concentrating on first-world democracies. I did a quick check of newslogs for Europe, Australia, South America... In those places, Evolution is still the uncontested scientific model of choice for explaining the existence of life on the planet.

 

[woody54]

I think there may be something to that. It's possible that intelligence is an evolutionary dead end. An intelligence that creates advanced technology may inherently create the conditions for it's own destruction.

Isnt that when a different school of the Reptilian Aliens who created and managed Man's development, just start a new project with new subjects.

 

[cuninglinguist61]

I'd like to interject a small point. The "theory" of a single cell becoming a man is not actually evolution...it's actually called "conception".

Umm, actually, "conception" requires TWO cells. The egg, and the sperm.
Just to interject a small point.

 

[breakwall]

Umm, actually, "conception" requires TWO cells. The egg, and the sperm.
Just to interject a small point.

Oh my god. You're right.





Evolution is a scam.

heh.

 

[metasexual]

Oh my god. You're right.

Being a biology facist here

No, the original post was right, conception requires two cells but results in a single cell.

 

[breakwall]

Being a biology facist here

No, the original post was right, conception requires two cells but results in a single cell.

whew, you've restored my faith in science again.

In your FACE God! *shakes fist at sky*

 

[Ishmael]

The problem is, that while the science and technology communities are screaming for the school systems to encourage more math and science-based curriculums because of an alarming drop in enrollment in these fields, the states in question are actually considering dumbing down the existing curriculum.

It's also wedge-strategy thinking. If the religious right can get evolution dethroned, then they set the precedent to have religion re-introduced into schools. You know, that was fine decades ago when we went to school and the Hindu kid stuck out like a sore thumb. But nowadays, with WASPs the minority in many of the classrooms, it just doesn't make any sense. Nor does it accomplish anything. School isn't a forum for religion. Just as church clearly isn't a forum for science.

Come on Break. It's states like CA. NY, MA, and the other bastions of "enlihghtened thought" that can't get their kids out of high school. What was the most recent report out of California? 20% of their High School Seniors can't pass the 8th grade math test AND the 9th grade English test.

S. Car. SAT scores are rising while Calif. are "holding steady."

Nah, don't worry about S. Car.

Ishmael

 

[breakwall]

Come on Break. It's states like CA. NY, MA, and the other bastions of "enlihghtened thought" that can't get their kids out of high school. What was the most recent report out of California? 20% of their High School Seniors can't pass the 8th grade math test AND the 9th grade English test.

S. Car. SAT scores are rising while Calif. are "holding steady."

Nah, don't worry about S. Car.

Ishmael

Again, it's not really about South Carolina.
I have a hard time believing that South Carolina's SAT scores are "on the rise". A recent survey done by UConn on GPAs showed that every state in the US without exception was experiencing a downtrend. I just can't see how GPAs can drop and yet SATs can go up.

I think there is a very real danger of Universities looking very hard at applicants from states that use "Faith-Based Science" and re-considering their admission.
What about students wishing to study abroad? Would Cambridge University take it into consideration?

 

[Pookie]

Evolution bill criticized as regressive

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050930/NEWS03/509300325/1011/NEWS01

Mike Fair is not representative of South Carolina. He's been way out there on a number of bills he's proposed in the past. He caters bigtime to the religious right.

 

[breakwall]

Mike Fair is not representative of South Carolina. He's been way out there on a number of bills he's proposed in the past. He caters bigtime to the religious right.

Well, he's representative of a majority of somebody. He got elected.

 

[The Mutt]

For some reason I always pictured South Carolina as a pastoral state, with verdant rolling hills and placid people. You know, like Mayberry. I never knew that the undercurrent of ignorance was so strong there.

Ah yes, I remember Andy and Opie walking past the Catholic Church on their way down to Schlomo's barber shop and stopping off at Leroy Washington's fix-it shop.

 

[Pookie]

Again, it's not really about South Carolina.
I have a hard time believing that South Carolina's SAT scores are "on the rise". A recent survey done by UConn on GPAs showed that every state in the US without exception was experiencing a downtrend. I just can't see how GPAs can drop and yet SATs can go up. ...

SAT scores have gone up in South Carolina. There is a much greater effort to prepare students to take the SAT beginning in middle school.