34 Countering Creationism in the Classroom

Friday, 21 April 2006
1:00 PM - 5:40 PM

BUT WHAT IF INTELLIGENT DESIGN IS TRUE?

Paper number: 34-11
Program: THEME SESSIONS
Time: 4:20 PM – 4:40 PM

Authors

  • Mano Singham Presenting Author
    Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Abstract

One of the arguments that are used to argue for the inclusion of Intelligent Design Creationism is that it might be the true explanation for how life evolved. This raises the interesting question of what relationship, if any, truth has in the evolution of scientific theories. If we try to identify necessary and/or sufficient conditions to demarcate science from non-science, does truth play any role?

This talk will argue that the potential for being true does not imply that an idea or theory belongs in science. While scientists may often feel they are seeking "truth" when they do research, the historical record of scientific progress does not provide any evidence that truth plays any role or that the evolution of scientific theories is approaching any absolute truth.