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View Full Version : UK National Curriculum Versus Creationism


Dr Adequate
29th September 2007, 11:51 AM
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this yet, here's some quotes.

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Creationism and intelligent design are not part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study and should not be taught as science. However, there is a real difference between teaching ‘x’ and teaching about ‘x’. Any questions about creationism and intelligent design which arise in science lessons, for example as a result of media coverage, could provide the opportunity to explain or explore why they are not considered to be scientific theories and, in the right context, why evolution is considered to be a scientific theory.

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Any resource should be checked carefully before it is used in the classroom. If resources which mention creationism or intelligent design are used, it must be made clear that neither constitutes a scientific theory.

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Intelligent design lies wholly outside of science. Sometimes examples are quoted that are said to require an ‘intelligent designer’. However, many of these have subsequently been shown to have a scientific explanation, for example, the immune system and blood clotting mechanisms.

Attempts to establish an idea of the ‘specified complexity’ needed for intelligent design are surrounded by complex mathematics. Despite this, the idea seems to be essentially a modern version of the old idea of the “God-of-the-gaps”. Lack of a satisfactory scientific explanation of some phenomena (a ‘gap’ in scientific knowledge) is claimed to be evidence of an intelligent designer.

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Creationism and intelligent design are sometimes claimed to be scientific theories. This is not the case as they have no underpinning scientific principles, or explanations, and are not accepted by the science community as a whole. Creationism and intelligent design therefore do not form part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study.

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The whole thing can be downloaded as a Word document here (http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=11890).

Darat
29th September 2007, 11:55 AM
I hadn't seen that - thanks.

It seems a very lucid and well thought out guide, really liked the "This is not the case as they have no underpinning scientific principles, or explanations, ..." paragraph.

SusanB-M1
29th September 2007, 03:36 PM
It is encouraging to see sites like this, Dr A.