What is Digg?608 Comments
- positron, on 06/27/2008, -16/+418Great job on your new time machine Louisiana! You've traveled back to the Dark Age.
- protogenxl, on 06/27/2008, -8/+269"To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today." -Isaac Asimov
- Varz, on 06/28/2008, -4/+194One small step backwards for man, one GIANT leap backwards for the state of Louisiana.
I have to laugh at this quote:
"assist teachers, principals, and other school administrators to create and foster an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories." Anyone with an ounce of skill in critical thinking can absolutely, objectively dismiss Intelligent Design as religious pseudoscience.
I think the followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster need get involved, just like they did when the Kansas board of education was verging on including this BS in their curriculum. - chrisvc86, on 06/27/2008, -6/+176So this company Discovery is helping to write and push this Bill, so they can sell their text books to the school systems? Conflict of interests much?
I hope similar legislature doesn't pass in Florida like they are suggesting, the public school systems here are bad enough.
Keep your religious ***** out of our schools, conservatives. Next time you need ***** surgery or some medicine, you should be denied because you are trying to kill the very science that's saving your ass. - greenfyre, on 06/27/2008, -9/+154"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens"
'Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain'
Friedrich Schiller - omnithought, on 06/28/2008, -4/+149Like Carlin said, "Garbage in, garbage out"
This is why our country is *****. Intentional ignorance should be a crime. - shirosamurai, on 06/28/2008, -5/+116The United States was once at the forefront of scientific and technological discovery. Now we're falling behind - religious ignorance and the "disdain" for science is to blame.
I often communicate with people around the world due to my profession -- one thing that has gotten old very quickly was having to tell people (amid their laughter) that I wasn't joking when I said that a sizable amount of Americans don't believe in evolution. - thinman1189, on 06/28/2008, -5/+107
"Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition."
Isaac Asimov
"If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them."
Isaac Asimov
"It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."
Isaac Asimov
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov
"To insult someone we call him "bestial." For deliberate cruelty and nature, "human" might be the greater insult."
Isaac Asimov
"To introduce something altogether new would mean to begin all over, to become ignorant again, and to run the old, old risk of failing to learn."
Isaac Asimov
"To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today."
Isaac Asimov
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."
Isaac Asimov
"The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."
Albert Einstein
"The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility."
Albert Einstein
Hmmm, which to use.... - Ravenlark, on 06/27/2008, -9/+107Truth is constant. Ignorance is constanter.
- Zachari, on 06/28/2008, -3/+85As a resident of Louisiana and a semi-sensible human, I apologize.
- inactive, on 06/28/2008, -6/+80Governor Bobby Jindal is a backwards Christian prick.
- BlankVerse, on 06/27/2008, -4/+67From the article: "The bill would allow local school boards to approve supplemental classroom materials specifically for the critique of scientific theories..."
Scientists should use the law by creating lesson plans and student booklets that can be downloaded from the internet that shows how robust evolution is, and how inappropriate the application of the non-theory of [Un]Intelligent Design is to the understanding of biology. Local citizens and organizations should then ask the local school boards to approve the use that material created by the scientists as supplemental classroom material. Let's make it so that the law backfires on those who voted for it. - Archer007, on 06/27/2008, -2/+65RTFA... A company that wants to push it's pro-ID books helped WRITE the bill.
- inactive, on 06/28/2008, -2/+64brainwashing children into ignorance should be illegal...
- Carv, on 06/28/2008, -2/+60"The Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA), was enacted by the signature of Governor Bobby Jindal yesterday."
Hey, look! McCain's top VP pick. - DaDrake, on 06/28/2008, -4/+62This is my view as a biologist. First, science must be testable and repeatable; religion obviously isn't that. Despite that, I don't think academia should ignore disputes within the scientific community based on one group that claims consensus (like the IPCC with global warming). Students should FIRST take a philosophy course to understand reasoning, and to be able to see the fallacies with ALL arguments; this will give the students the tools to learn from an objective point or at least recognize logic fallacies. Secondly, they should take a history course that includes some outline of ALL major religions from a historical point of view, as well as the religion vs science conflicts. In Science class, the difference between hypothesis and theory should be outlined; also, they should take one in depth study to see how "theories" take time to developed (for example, evolution wasn't recognized as a theory for at least 120 years).
One thing that REALLY ... and I mean REALLY .... pisses off scientist is the idea that any theory/hypothesis is some absolute truth. The theory of evolution has been changing as we learn more (for example, everyone was probably taught of some gradual-type evolution when in fact, the fossil record supports a rapid but divergent type of evolution, with the average species existing for two million years). Good science is about questioning EVERYTHING through a testable hypothesis.
If a child said he doesn't believe in the 2nd law of thermodynamics .... the teacher should smile, be excited, and say she/he is eagerly awaiting his results, from his experiment, for this important break through. Once kids understand that science is supported by ONLY what you can prove, they will gain a better understanding and respect for it . - paulisnotdead, on 06/28/2008, -1/+58Seriously? You're going to take that route? The goal of this bill was to re-introduce religion into schools, which is not critical thinking, it's replacing things with bad answers. Saying that a mystical force did something is NOT science. Not until we have dissected every aspect of that mystical force, until it is not longer mystic.
I hate this kind of crap. If you want religion go to a goddamn church. Stay the ***** out of the educational system otherwise you'll make this place a third world country. - greenfyre, on 06/28/2008, -3/+60And why evolution? why not gravity? or thermodynamics? no critically thinking person imagines this is anything but a way to promote a particular brand of fundamentlist religion
- inactive, on 06/28/2008, -4/+59Thanks Louisiana, you're now the anchor...
- sleepyjjk, on 06/28/2008, -3/+57Ugh, this is sad. Religion/Intelligent-Design do not belong in a science classroom.
The representatives who passed this law obviously have no true understanding or grasp of science. Otherwise they would know that the scientific theories now are very strong and are backed up with mountains of evidence.
I really hope that in my lifetime, I see some scientific revolution. Not only would it be very exciting, I hope it would show people the wonders of science and all the answers that it posses - also, I hope they would learn more about it instead of using God as an answer to everything. - micro506, on 06/28/2008, -2/+50Keep in mind that Bobby Jindal believes he has personally witnessed demonic posession
- sleepyjjk, on 06/28/2008, -2/+49What? Morals don't need to be taught in a science classroom, they need to be taught by parents and society.
- ConAmoreEFuoco, on 06/28/2008, -3/+49I am tired of explaining the theory of evolution to people. I'm tired of correcting all of the misunderstandings which are, in part, due to the Intelligent Design movement. I'm not going to do it anymore. The next time someone says that evolution is bogus because "I didn't come from no chimp" or "this banana fits my hand perfectly", I'm just going to grimace and hit them in the face with a fish. It works just as well as giving them a biology lesson.
- obliviousfool, on 06/28/2008, -0/+42I'm guessing that the local school boards are probably just as backward as the state legislature.
- Suricou, on 06/28/2008, -3/+44As a European, I just want to confirm this: We all laugh at America, yes. We think you are a country of overweight idiots and religious nutcases. Your steriotype is not favorable.
- 11familyguy11, on 06/28/2008, -1/+42There's nothing wrong with questioning a scientific theory, however, to question a theory you must understand it. To teach controversy in aspects of evolution where there isn't any, and teach it to children, is a problem.
- kolinkoolface2, on 06/28/2008, -3/+44are you ***** stupid or just really ***** stupid
- Mnementh2230, on 06/28/2008, -1/+41As a slim, educated, atheist American... well, I don't take offense. I laugh at the religious nutbags too.
- Jeremyz0r, on 06/28/2008, -5/+45America's education goes further down the rabbit hole.
I do not pity any of you.
Btw, almost all religions in existence are based on the Sun & the 12 zodiacs.
Even Christianity.
Good day.
"Dinosaurs were put here to test my faith!" I "lol" at you sir. - themonkman, on 06/28/2008, -3/+41Another state accepts the possibility that his Lord and his Noodly Appendage created life on Earth. Let's hope that they teach of his Glory and not forget his delicious marinara sauce!
- 47f0, on 06/28/2008, -1/+39It was a ***** born-again "doctor" (and I use the term "doctor" very loosely) that consistently misdiagnosed my son's lymphoma, while lecturing me as to why the kids weren't in vacation bible camp. If your faith matters more than your profession, maybe it's time to be honest, and just join the clergy.
- pdworkin, on 06/28/2008, -2/+35Keep in mind that Jindal is on the shot list for McCain's veep.
- infinitejones, on 06/28/2008, -2/+35@brokencrystal - you're right. Science is all about criticizing theories. Criticizing them with verifiable, falsifiable, repeatable experiments. None of which can be performed on any of the other "theories" of evolution that proponents of creationism, Intelligent Design or whatever you want to call it put forward. I've said it before and I'll say it again - those people should go away, do some science, and come back to the rest of us with it.
The problem with this bill in the context of science education is that it can be used to completely undermine the way science should be viewed. It can be used to make students think that an "alternate theory" that can't be tested using verifiable, falsifiable, repeatable experiments is a valid one. It doesn't matter whether you're testing the theory of evolution, gravity, thermodynamics or anything else - that's absolutely the wrong thing to teach and in the long run it will completely ruin the US' ability to create scientists and make a valid contribution to the scientific world. - Zarokima, on 06/28/2008, -0/+33They are. DeSoto Parish schools get a week-long break in the fall so the superintendent can go hunting with his son. I really wish I was making this up, but unfortunately people down here are ***** pants-on-head retarded.
- greenfyre, on 06/28/2008, -2/+35Gee, somehow we learned critical thinking without needing preposterous and absurd ideologies being taught.
Instead they have created a fail safe mechanism for stifling critical thinking because it cannot survive in an environment where those ideologies are taught. Those naturally inclined to critical thought will rebel and be chewed up and the rest will be cowed. - FairDinkumMate, on 06/28/2008, -5/+38Who's leading who?
The middle east region centuries ago were the world leaders in science, until religion got in the way of education & they went quickly backwards.
The US was(is still?) one of the world leaders in science & now you are going to let religion get in the way of education!
Maybe the US adopting the moral standards of religous extremists with regard to waging war was only the first step in what your country is learning from these people? - Varz, on 06/28/2008, -1/+34Because kids don't have the fundamental skills in logic and critical thinking, these are skills they go to school to actually learn. If they're going to start teaching religion in science class then maybe they should also learn about the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Koran and the obscure beliefs of some tribe in Africa. Science is about objectively understanding reality (you know, understanding through actual evidence and facts), if they're going to start teaching religion in science classes then they're undermining the principle foundation of science.
- inactive, on 06/28/2008, -3/+35At least they were the first state to invent time travel...
- davepascoe, on 06/28/2008, -0/+29sue the prick, get him dismissed.
pharmacists are the same - fighting for the right to withhold contraceptive medicine if they disagree with the morals of it, and unfortunately in some cases winning. - ConAmoreEFuoco, on 06/28/2008, -2/+31They aren't challenging or criticizing ANY theory; they're focusing on the politically (but not scientifically) controversial theories of "evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning". They aren't challenging things in a thoughtful, innocent manner; they're targeting theories which don't mesh with their form of fundamentalist Christianity.
Also, they aren't being truthful. Proponents of Intelligent Design and critics of the theory of evolution utilize outdated pseudo-facts (which have been discredited exhaustively) in order to portray evolution as obviously false. Case in point, the Discovery Institute, a proponent of this bill, just happens to produce a textbook which questions evolution. Ars technica has another article (http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2008/0 ... which describes the misrepresentations present in this book, which are also the hallmark of Intelligent Design propaganda. - davepascoe, on 06/28/2008, -1/+30It already would be, but unfortunately the US's laws on child abuse specifically contain exemptions for abuse motivated by parents' religious beliefs.
- CokeZero, on 06/28/2008, -4/+33Red state? Can't say I'm surprised.
- emkaysmith, on 06/28/2008, -2/+31The amazing thing is, the Republicans always brag on the fact that THEIR governor (he sure ain't mine . . .) was a Rhodes Scholar. In fact, in the election before last, the one that Jindal lost on his first attempt, ALL THREE candidates insisted that they did not "believe" in evolution. This stupid state sucks in so many ways. If it weren't for Mississippi, we would be at the bottom of EVERY list of standards and accomplishments, and not just most of them.
And DON'T tell me "if you don't like it, move"!!! The job is to drag this misbegotten den of self-righteous ignorance into at least the 20th century. - greenfyre, on 06/28/2008, -3/+31Children are vulnerable, that's why the fundies went after them
- mohsenxp, on 06/28/2008, -0/+28as a second European I too have to agree that America is laughed at and even publically dissed on our national TV shows for its wide acceptance of intelligent design, or more appropriately its lack of belief in evolution.
I don't find it funny however. I find it extremely frustrating that a great nation such as America (and it is a great nation in my opinion) has fallen to such strong pressure from backward christian fundamentalist groups.
It is a blessing to live in the UK, a country where perhaps the last question a person in politics would be asked, is if they believe in evolution!! Its 2008 god damn it! Stand up Americans, for this christian movement is sending your country back to where it started. - thegodfaza, on 06/28/2008, -1/+29Section 3.2 of this law covers the revolution of all celestial bodies around earth.
- greenfyre, on 06/28/2008, -0/+27"How is offering multiple ideas on a subject "stifling critical thinking?"
Putting religion into a classroom as science and punishing any child who questions the obvious contradiction while rewarding those who mindlessly lap it up hardly encourages critical thinking, does it? or thinking at all for that matter. - ryan83189, on 06/28/2008, -3/+30If you don't want your kid to learn evolution or the origin of life, then buy then earphones conveniently shaped like the tips of index fingers, and blast the sound of them humming, and screaming "I can't hear you" to wear whenever evolution will be discussed.
- pintomp3, on 06/28/2008, -3/+29digg's favorite candidate:
"evolution is a theory and i don't accept it"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JyvkjSKMLw - blackmesa, on 06/28/2008, -1/+26I know this state doesn't represent everyone in the US. I know there's plenty of intellectuals there, and plenty of people who are capable of critical thought and reasoning, but damn; this makes you look bad.
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