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College course seeks to debunk intelligent design Proposed religion class labels creationism as 'mythology'
LAWRENCE, Kansas (AP) -- Creationism and intelligent design are going to be studied at the University of Kansas, but not in the way advocated by opponents of the theory of evolution.
A course being offered next semester by the university religious studies department is titled "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies."
"The KU faculty has had enough," said Paul Mirecki, department chairman.
"Creationism is mythology," Mirecki said. "Intelligent design is mythology. It's not science. They try to make it sound like science. It clearly is not."
Earlier this month, the state Board of Education adopted new science teaching standards that treat evolution as a flawed theory, defying the view of science groups.
Although local school boards still decide how science is taught in the classrooms, the vote was seen as a major victory for proponents of intelligent design, which says that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power.
Critics say intelligent design is merely creationism -- a literal reading of the Bible's story of creation as the handiwork of God -- camouflaged in scientific language as a way to get around court rulings that creationism injects religion into public schools.
John Calvert, an attorney and managing director of the Intelligent Design Network in Johnson County, Kansas, said Mirecki will go down in history as a laughingstock.
"To equate intelligent design to mythology is really an absurdity, and it's just another example of labeling anybody who proposes [intelligent design] to be simply a religious nut," Calvert said. "That's the reason for this little charade."
Mirecki said his course, limited to 120 students, would explore intelligent design as a modern American mythology. Several faculty members have volunteered to be guest lecturers, he said.
University Chancellor Robert Hemenway said Monday he didn't know all the details about the new course.
"If it's a course that's being offered in a serious and intellectually honest way, those are the kind of courses a university frequently offers," he said.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
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Chariots of the Gods is an interesting read on "intelligent design". I haven't seen a copy of it in years but it goes into great detail on how humans could not have evolved on planet earth. Of course it is not exactly the type book that religious believers of intelligent design will accept.
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hmmmmm.... Von Daniken was interesting, but he was a sensationalist.... and not too good at his references...
much of his better speculation has been "explained" by archeoalogists....(no i don't think they are 100% right either) and at worst? he supplied a lot of false data...
the tombstone at Palenque? looks like a guy driving a spaceship, but the students of mayan symbolism have "explianed" the symbolism... obvoiously i can't decide who is right...
the Nazca lines are awesome, but they too have been "explained" by archeoalogists, and their arguments are pretty solid..... there was most definitely a very advanced pre-columbian, and maybe even pre-inca culture next to the Nazca plateau
Von Daniken wrote a sequel to Chariots called "Gold of the Gods" in it? he describes some subteranean "construction" which sounds fascinating (if i recall correctly it was in Bolivia, but i could be wrong, i haven't read it since the seventies) it had perfectly cut tunnels in solid rock.... nad they were very long...he even describes a "metal book" found down there...
BUT?
i haven't seen any corroboration of the existance of most of those claims he made in that book...
there is some compelling evidence here and there... Ezekiels wheel is complelling too...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise.
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It was the 70's when I read the book as well. I can't say I remember many of the details. I just thought it was interesting. I also read part of the second book.
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I really liked Graham Hancock's books better than von Daniken's: "Fingerprints of the Gods" and "Mars Mystery" both also highly speculative (but writed more gooder )
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise.
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I never heard of either. I'm reading an awfull set of books right now. Chronicles of Narnia. With the movie coming out, I figured I'd give them a shot. The movie looks good but these books are very juvenile. No surprise that Tolkien hated them.
Back on topic.
One arguement for intelligent design can be made from the Bible itself. The Bible was written before much was known of science yet much of it deals very specifically with things that would kill or harm you if you did not follow its instructions. You could argue that the author witnessed peoples deaths after eating certain things but uncooked or undercooked pork isn't going to kill you for a long time after eating it. I realize it's not much but it is something to think about.
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and i'm goin to argue that humanity is just about as intlelligent today as it was 30,000 years ago....
and people did figure out cause and effect all the time.....
there is no need for "divine interventiuon" in order to know that shellfish can make you so sick you WANT to die, for instance... especially in areas of high population density and poor sanitary habits...
how about the "handedness" of the Koran and the bible....there is a lot more to that than which hand you have the, er, the most dexterity in
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise.
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