by Alonzo Fyfe
Atheist Ethicist Blog

I think that some battles should be kept out of the courts.

In California, advocates of "intelligent design" are pushing a new way get into the public schools and preach their gospel while pretending to teach science. They have created a "Philosophy of Design" class (L.A. Times). Allegedly, its purpose is to teach the philosophical issues surrounding design theory. In fact, all but one video set for the class favors intelligent design, and one speaker assigned to defend evolution died in 2004.

So, a number of parents in the school district have filed a lawsuit, saying that the class is unconstitutional.

I see lawsuits as a waste of time.

People should react to this class the same way that would react to news that the school was having Nazi Party members teach a class saying that the Holocaust did not exist. The class is a farce, designed to promote ignorance and to attract members into the "teacher's" political group.

The Problem with 'Intelligent Design'

Here are three major pillars of "intelligent design".

(1) Irreducibly complex things must be designed.

(2) The ultimate designer is irreducibly complex

(3) The ultimate designer was not designed.

This is a flat contradiction -- a piece of incoherent nonsense.

Will this "teachers" point this out to their students?

I suspect not. This is because their goal is not to teach, but to indoctrinate. They are going to hide the contradiction behind a smoke screen of confusion and scientific-sounding jargon.

If they do acknowledge this problem, I suspect that they will try to cover it up with some ad-hoc adjustments, such as

(1) Irreducibly complex things must be designed, except the ultimate designer.

Question: Why tack on this ad-hoc exception?

The intelligent design advocate under a truth serum would have to say, Because it is the only way to cover up the contradiction.

Question: Why 'except the ultimate designer'? Why not 'except life'?

Again, a dose of truth serum would force the intelligent design advocate to answer, Because I am trying to create an argument for the existence of God, and this is the only way to get the results I want.

The Cost of Intelligent Design

We cannot afford to have our public schools dedicated to the task of promoting ignorance. We need smart people with a sufficient grasp of reality to find real-world answers to our real-world problems.

We are under the threat of a pandemic and we need people to understand how living things work to best figure out how to protect us from this threat. Diseases are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Promoting ignorance at this time will disarm us against these diseases, resulting in suffering and death.

We need people who are smart enough to keep America competitive in the global economy. If we promote ignorance in our schools, while other countries teach their children to understand the real world, those other nations will catch up to and pass the United States, ultimately leaving us in their economic dust. Companies will want employees who can think and reason, not employees whose minds have been clouded and confused in ways necessary to hide the contradictions inherent in 'intelligent design'.

In addition to bad science and bad reasoning skills, intelligent design theorists are teaching poor moral lessons as well. They are teaching these lessons by example.

They are teaching backwards reasoning. The lesson plan says, "Grab some arbitrary conclusion that you like. Now, if somebody says something that supports your conclusion, assume that it is true. If somebody else says something that contradicts your conclusion, reject it."

This is exactly the type of thinking that got us into this Iraq war. "If somebody says something that suggests Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, assume they are right and praise them as a patriot. If somebody shows us evidence that there are no such weapons, call them a traitor to humanity and disregard what he says."

The Problem with the Courts

Raising a generation of kids who cannot reason their way past a simple contradiction does not help anybody. For a nation to survive, it needs an educated population.

The problem with fighting the issue in courts is that, even when the good guys win, the people themselves are left just as ignorant. The only way to end this investation is to take the campaign to the people, and educate them to the point that they recognize and reject incoherent and self-contradictory views like 'intelligent design.'

Alonzo Fyfe wrote: They are teaching backwards reasoning. The lesson plan says, "Grab some arbitrary conclusion that you like. Now, if somebody says something that supports your conclusion, assume that it is true. If somebody else says something that contradicts your conclusion, reject it."


This is exactly how the Pharmacetical Industry operates. We have a pill, prove that is cures a desease. Meryk surpressed facts and killed people. And don't forget the "Victims of Thylidimide"

If these "Intellegent Designers" are successful, are they going to open the class to all the religious fanatics- the Jim Jones' and Charles Mason's of the future?? Are all causes under the guise of "religion" going to be allowed access to the classrooms. The Klu Klux Klan, Neo-Nazi's and other White Surprimist Christians.

KEEP RELIGION OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

The lessons we learn from teaching religion are the beauty of what intelligent design really is. The bible is nothing more than a design for control, and the intelligent elite have used it well since its inception, and for that matter, all religions in history were designed because of two factors:
1) Humans haven't got a clue who they are, where they came from, what to believe and why they are here;
2) The elite leaders know this and have providerd the formula that satisfies their needs, so they can get back to work.

Intelligent design is nothing new. It is the trademark of every civilization. The only difference, we assume, is that somehow America is somehow impartial to this view and allows for free thought. The reality is that the same formula that the Taliban used in Afghanistan is the one we are fed as well. It is a dumbing down of reality to the "I know what's best for you and here is the answer" approach that satisfies our "Need to Know" stigma. Then only those who truly know what's going on can control and manipulate the populace at will with what they already know- that a compliant fastidious society is content with their own worries, and cares not for what is really going on.

That Intelligent Design can even be discussed under the terms it purports to describe, is in itself a statement about how ignorant people wish you to remain.

American leaders really did learn how successful the Taliban formula was, and wish it right here as a foundation for their new age dream of a totally reliant, compliant populace that will believe whatever they wish them to believe. That is the goal of intelligent design.



Yes but these will be those who "Need to Know", and will be educated as to understand why they are in a favorable Iinstructional/ Supervisory position. The employees will only be required to perform their duties and do their tasks, not question authority. Their being is purpose enough for their reason. It is to preach compliance to their children, obey their leaders, and see know wrong in their duties, such as war and belief.



I think we see it in some of the right wingnuts that overwhelm our site with useless threads of propaganda of the elitist ruling class, here on TVNL.

Thanks Alonzo for bringing this up.

your a serious nut case dogshit, as i say this your mom laughs..

Intelligent design is for those who have no inherent intelligence. This is obvious by Bucky's well crafted one line responses. Once again the tool of the I.D. industry tries to impress all his friends at TVNL. How about donating to Jesse's fund as a way of permitting you to stay on here and continue to post such intelligence.

Wow, what a mind. Bucky's motto- "Better to be braindead than learn to think and spell. That way I can cut and paste anything and not understand any of it- as long as fearless leader gives his stamp of approval, it must be gOD's word." Right Andy?

Truth hurts those with only intelligent design as an education, right Chifucki?

Speaking of intelligent design- #1 grade A idiot Andy makes an appearance. How predictable was that.

My mom was only laughing because she saw your home movie of you and Bushie in the driveway. She was laughing at your intelligently fat ass being pumped and the smirk of satisfaction on your pious leaders face, while your mommy was a clapping in the background.

That's family values. That was Bushies design. Intelligent wasn't it. She loved your comment you made to Bush about how embearassing this was. You showed a spurt of true intelligence there, didn't you.

What a Kodak moment.

Once again, you've been served- In your face and stuffed up your ass, chickenshit coward.

Oh and don't forget to avoid answering Shoeless' questions on Bush lies. SFB.

yes more bullshit from turncoat dogshit.

come join us dogshit so we will always have your dumbass to laugh at..

Gee don't your hero look good as Darth Bushitler and the elitist emperor Daddy Bushitler. Very good cartoonman. Hope you didn't break into a sweat moving your fatass around trying to find that one. They definitely are the darkside , and after all this is the force you believe in. I wouldn't go into whatever sect you believe in catholic tool.

Wait 'til jesus gets his hands on you, you fat assed Bastard.

Oh and why don't you answer Shoeless' demand to Bush lies and answer his request Chicken. Got no answers for his lies do you Bushasslicker/wiper.

Also why don't you contribute to Jesse's fund.
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