Friday, June 23, 2006
UK: Universities Incorporate Creationism
Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent for The Independent (UK) reports that creationism is being included in the science curricula of a growing number of UK universities.
"In both cases," reports Cassidy, "lecturers argue that the controversial theories will be presented as fallacies irreconcilable with scientific evidence. But the fact that these 'alternatives' to evolution have been proposed for formal discussion in lectures at all has sparked concern among British scientists."
Leeds University plans to incorporate one or two compulsory lectures on creationism and intelligent design into its second-year course for zoology and genetics undergraduates next Christmas, according to The Times higher education supplement. At Leicester University, academics discuss creationism and intelligent design with third-year genetics undergraduates for about 20 minutes in lectures.
"In both cases," reports Cassidy, "lecturers argue that the controversial theories will be presented as fallacies irreconcilable with scientific evidence. But the fact that these 'alternatives' to evolution have been proposed for formal discussion in lectures at all has sparked concern among British scientists."
