Evolution can win battle of ideas

By Guy Darst / Guest Columnist
Friday, May 20, 2005


The Kansas Board of Education is pondering a proposal, expected to be
approved this summer, to require that the teaching of evolution in the
state's high schools raise doubts about the theory.


Similar proposals are being considered in one way or other in 19 states,
all pushed by people who don't believe the theory of evolution. Usually
they want students to be told that there is another hypothesis out there,
called "intelligent design," holding that life forms -- or at least some of
them -- are too complex to have evolved and must have been "designed" by
someone.


They are too careful to argue that "intelligent design" must be taught as
the truth, only that its points in opposition to evolution be mentioned.
And they never say what most of them believe, that the designer is God.
Teaching that, the courts have ruled, is unconstitutional.


Why not give students an honest exposure to the ideas of the design
proponents? The theory of evolution is supported by powerful evidence that
contradicts the hypothesis of a designer at almost every turn. There is
effectively no real evidence supporting a design hypothesis. Even if there
are some wrong ideas in evolution, that does not make the design hypothesis
true.


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