Friday, February 17, 2006
The Pure Pragmatism of ID
Jon D. Miller, a professor at the Northwestern University Medical School, studies the public's understanding of science. Miller is the organizer of “Science Under Attack,” at the AAAS conference being held in St. Louis.
Miller believes the struggle over teaching evolution in schools has been fueled largely by religious conservatives hoping to secure office in Republican-dominated states.
“There's a very pragmatic reason why these (debates) reappear, and it's not at all accidental that they appear right before major primary elections,” Miller said. “These issues become in right-wing politics a very powerful tool, because it's a way of mobilizing a base. . . . It's a litmus test, and besides, it's kind of a throwaway issue. It doesn't really make any economic difference to anybody.”
From a report on the AAAS Conference by Bruce Lieberman in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Miller believes the struggle over teaching evolution in schools has been fueled largely by religious conservatives hoping to secure office in Republican-dominated states.
“There's a very pragmatic reason why these (debates) reappear, and it's not at all accidental that they appear right before major primary elections,” Miller said. “These issues become in right-wing politics a very powerful tool, because it's a way of mobilizing a base. . . . It's a litmus test, and besides, it's kind of a throwaway issue. It doesn't really make any economic difference to anybody.”
From a report on the AAAS Conference by Bruce Lieberman in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
