I have just read the depressing fact that 60% of UK adults think that creationism should be taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution. Let me declare my hand from the outset; I am an atheist and a rationalist in most things as well as a “humanist” by inclination and affiliation. But all of us, regardless, should take note of this shocking statistic and think what it means.
Lets be clear, there is no rival theory to Darwin’s elegant ideas on evolution. Time has only found more and more links between species and shown us more and more link-stages in complex organs like the eye across progressively more primitive species. The only thing that would destroy the theory of evolution is an organ or organism for which no reasonable evolutionary pathway could be found; the truth is no such unreasonable pathway has been found. 250 years of thinking and searching underpin this statement and while the theory is not yet perfect, it is pretty damn close. It is in short, the only viable theory and only the dangerously stupid would deny it after looking at the evidence. One problem with the theory is that it is complex and the intellectually lazy might prefer easy belief to the tough thinking involved in reading a well researched and presented work like “the blind watchmaker” by Richard Dawkins.
The contrary view, creationism, or its “fig leaf” title Intelligent Design, says that a god/creator designed it all. I will not question whether you find this an attractive idea or not, but whether you are religiously inclined or not, you have no scrap of reasonable evidence to support this view. Biblical references do not constitute the level of highly scrutinised evidence that science must produce before pronouncing a theory to be reasonable. My concern is that scientists have worked hard in their thousands over 250 years to seek evidence, criticise each others work, and forge a solid theory from the foundry of thought, hard work and experimentation. They have produced a theory which can be taught in our schools and explained as a reasonable and valid explanation. Intelligent design is merely belief. Will we start giving the study of ghosts, and astrology a reasonable place on our school curriculums as well. As ever, when religious people ask for something unreasonable, we are scared to say no as a society. Well as Billy Connolly said about astrology and year 2000 doomsday predictions on breakfast TV, “let’s put this Sh.te to bed for once and all”.
Schools have to teach the rational, and offer it up for critical examination to young people. A theory or idea may prove wrong in the future, but everyone should feel free to criticise and modify it using evidence, not irrational belief. It is essential that we teach rational thinking in our schools, because this has always been the basis for societal progress. Rational humanists have a reasoned approach to living together peacefully in the future world, sadly, as the worlds terrorist hotspots illustrate, some religions can’t always say the same.