Friday, August 19, 2005

Evolution vs. Religion

Jacob Weisberg says that, yes, understanding the theory of evolution does undermine faith in an omniscient, omnipotent creator; and that therefore, yes, religious sorts who wish to ensure that their children share their superstitins are quite right to fear the teaching of evolution in school. The basic point is that understanding evolutionary theory promotes critical thinking and scientific rationalism -- things at fundamental odds with religious belief.

I'm not sure this is good politics, given the benighted understanding of science of much of the American public (who may well say, "Well, if I must choose between truth and God, I'll take God), but it's certainly right as a positive description of the cognitive issue at stake in the debate over the teaching of Darwinian theory.

NB: the podcast interview is good, too.

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