Letter writer Jay Aldrich says he is “sick and tired” of being treated like a “stupid, naive, bigoted, dogmatic fundamentalist” because he wants intelligent design to be given a fair hearing (“Expose evolutionary theory to valid criticism,” Voice of the people, Oct. 8).
Aldrich’s letter is a perfect example of what the current controversy is about: people buying into the misinformation being spread by the Discovery Institute, rejecting one of the great triumphs of science without bothering to inform themselves and using invective rather than science to advance their agenda.
After requesting that we “stop with the ad hominems,” Aldrich then speaks of the “bigotry, dogma and hypocrisy” of the evolutionists (who clearly represent a threat of some kind).
We can at least request that he be consistent, if not actually civil.
To answer some of his rhetorical questions, I offer the following arguments.
“Here’s a novel idea: Why not let evolutionary theory be exposed to valid criticism?”
Evolutionary theory is exposed to valid criticism all the time; this is part of science.
No one believes our current understanding is the final answer, but it’s the best we have.
Intelligent design was given a fair hearing more than 150 years ago and was found wanting.
Nothing new there.
Here’s a novel idea: Why not ask intelligent-design proponents to produce a credible argument and scientific evidence of any kind?
All you have to do is rigorously describe the creator and how he/she/it works, formulate specific hypotheses about creation that predict things not yet observed, and go perform the observations to test those predictions.
Please do so.
“What are the evolutionists afraid of?”
Two things: wasting time, and promotion of ignorance.
Intelligent design is an old idea with no scientific evidence in its favor.
Not any.
Might as well debate whether the Earth is flat.
“If we were to rip out any and all mention of evolution from our children’s textbooks, just exactly how would their education in the sciences be harmed?”
This would be like leaving out the New Testament in a study of Christianity.
Is that really what you want?
Oh, and last but not least: Evolution “violates the second law of thermodynamics.”
I invite Aldrich to write a clear, coherent, well-reasoned and factually supported essay describing precisely how evolution violates the second law.
Then write another one that clearly and precisely describes the origin and nature of the creator, and the process of creation, and how that does not violate the second law.
Then submit your essays to scientific journals and be prepared to defend your views, because that’s how science works.
