Creationism and science are not compatible

SCMP Education Mailbag - (April 4, 2009)

I refer to the letter on 28-March-2009 by Kwen Ip ('Creationism row has offered nothing new').

The common tactics of creationism proponents is to play on the misguided notion of 'opening minds' or 'encouraging students to ask the right questions', and arguing that teaching the theory of evolution as the explanation to the origins of life and species on earth is 'spoon feeding'.

First of all, science is not about the 'version of knowledge we subscribe to'. Science is the body of knowledge that has withstood numerous tests and falsifications (tests that attempt to overturn theories). It is substantiated by evidence and works remarkably in offering explanations and predictions. The body of knowledge is consistent and constantly updated in the light of new evidence.

Science classes are never about 'knowledge we subscribe to', but knowledge acquired via scientific methods.

Secondly, sciences are not the imputation of meaning from a set of observed data. I urge Mr Ip and others to really research the definition of science.

Their notion, if allowed in schools, will send us back to 500 years ago when 'science' was primitive and laced with superstition.

Thirdly, even scientific theory can change to reflect a better understanding of the world do not justify creationism as something to be taught in science classes - it is simply a religious view.

Fourthly, not all ideas can be treated as equals. In science classes, ideas like creationism that cannot stand the scrutiny of scientific method are not discussed because there are thousands of such ideas that will clutter our classes.

Finally, if creationism proponents like Kwen Ip insist on teaching creationism or Intelligent Design, then in addition the teachers must show students how unscientific these two sets of ideas are, how those proponents avoid scientific scrutiny by manufacturing public opinion and spreading misinformation and how they lied by saying creationism and Intelligent Design are scientific theories when in fact the two notions are pure conjecture, untested.

Teachers should show students how both of them are debunked by the most updated scientific evidence.

VIRGINIA YUE, Tsuen Wan