Re: paleonet Activism and ID

[Bill Chaisson/Deirdre Cunningham <chaisson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>The conversation about what to do concerning ID is interesting, and
>revealing somewhat of the nature of academics also.  The ID people have
>been successful because they are organized and have resources.  The only
>response that will have any success in response to this is organization
>on the part of those resisting ID and the politicization of science.
>Letters are OK, but a local organization that joins university faculty
>to school teachers and interested parents is better.  Individual action
>is OK, group action has more impact.  The group coordinates action, and
>gives confidence to those facing challenges from creationists etc.  We
>can't win this one fighting individually any more than individual
>workers can stop a company from sending all their jobs to a third world
>country.
>
>So, to those who asked what to do...organize a coalition of scientists
>in your region who can lend support and coordinated activity in the face
>of challenges to science education.  The public needs to see that almost
>all the science community is united on this.
>

I am inclined to agree with Prof. Loubere.

Sadly, the best selling point of "intelligent design" for the lay 
public is that if you accept ID, then you don't have to think about a 
whole lot of hard questions anymore.

To the non-scientist one of the most annoying things about science is 
that it requires your repeated attention since its ideas are 
undergoing constant re-examination, refinement and revision.

For most people this is like owning a car that needs servicing all 
the time.  They would much rather get a car that just runs, so that 
they can just gas it and go.  That is what intelligent design is 
like.  ID says "Listen, don't worry about all these difficult 
problems in the universe.  They're beyond any of us."  That's a 
pretty good sales pitch.

In order to overcome this advantage, scientists and science educators 
are going to have to re-tool the way science is taught in public 
schools and at the university level.  How to do that is another 
discussion entirely.

Bill
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William P. Chaisson
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY  14627
607-387-3892