Slashdot Mirror


Missouri Legislation Redefines Science, Pushes Intelligent Design

An anonymous reader writes "Ars reports on new legislation in the Missouri House of Representatives which is seeking equal time in the classroom for Intelligent Design, and to redefine science itself. You can read the text of the bill online. It uses over 600 words to describe Intelligent Design. Scientific theory, the bill says, is 'an inferred explanation of incompletely understood phenomena about the physical universe based on limited knowledge, whose components are data, logic, and faith-based philosophy.' It would require that 'If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught in a course of study, biological evolution and biological intelligent design shall be taught.' The legislation's references to 'scientific theory' and 'scientific law' make it clear the writers don't have the slightest idea how science actually works. It also has this odd line near the end: 'If biological intelligent design is taught, any proposed identity of the intelligence responsible for earth's biology shall be verifiable by present-day observation or experimentation and teachers shall not question, survey, or otherwise influence student belief in a nonverifiable identity within a science course.'"

7 of 813 comments (clear)

  1. Cue Babel Fish... by Marcaen · · Score: 5, Funny

    That last sentence sounded strangely familiar:
            "If biological intelligent design is taught, any proposed identity of the intelligence responsible for earth's biology shall be verifiable by present-day observation or experimentation and teachers shall not question, survey, or otherwise influence student belief in a nonverifiable identity within a science course." ....

    `I refuse to prove that I exist,' says God, `for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'
    `But,' says Man, `The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.'
    `Oh dear,' says God, `I hadn't thought of that,' and promptly disappears in a puff of logic.

    --
    Marcaen
  2. Re:Christians, physicians and hospitals by silas_moeckel · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's only sad that they force this on the children. Adults being idiots and culling themselves off is a good thing.

    --
    No sir I dont like it.
  3. Re:Christians, physicians and hospitals by jvillain · · Score: 5, Funny

    It sounds like you are describing evolution.

  4. Re:It's a race... by kenj0418 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Teach Darwin, Teach Spinoza and Godel.

    This list will never be complete. Or if it is, it will be inconsistent.

  5. Re:Teaching The Controversy - Properly by Capsaicin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sample Essay Question:

    1) Using the theory intelligent design, explain the emergence of the Ebola virus and construct a forensic psychological profile of the intelligent designer.

    --
    Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident a security. --Edmund Burke
  6. Re:Obligatory by MacGyver2210 · · Score: 5, Funny

    design by definition is intelligent

    Bullshit. If you really believe this, you haven't used Windows 8.

    --
    If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits
  7. Re:Teaching The Controversy - Properly by Forty+Two+Tenfold · · Score: 5, Funny

    Faith comes into play at peer review. Either they believe you or they don't.

    --
    Upward mobility is a slippery slope - the higher you climb the more you show your ass.