more on evolution deleted....

[Panza, Robin]

The anti-evolution dogma of parents *can* be a problem with college
students.  I know of professors that were faced with profound disruptions of
class on mentioning the "e-word".  It's the *origin* of species that most
upsets the religious right--they oppose any creation myth (and I use the
term loosely) other than their own.  However, "change over time" does not
rule out deity-ordained changes.  This can cause difficulties when one later
tries to use the term "evolution" or to introduce heritability to their
concept.  Heritability of change, especially heritability that puts
constraints on change, is antithetical to deity-ordained change.

Robin

Robin K Panza                  panzar at carnegiemuseums.org
Collection Manager, Section of Birds      ph:  412-622-3255
Carnegie Museum of Natural History       fax: 412-622-8837
4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh  PA  15213-4080  USA


-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Kinman [mailto:kinman at HOTMAIL.COM]
 Those parents who try to keep
evolutionary knowledge from their children may actually sometimes end up
fostering that student's interest in evolution in some ways.  Any short term
problems caused by the Kansas and Kentucky decisions shouldn't be that
difficult to address given a little time and extra effort.