The debate over evolution is far from extinct. As Jesus and Darwin fish decals duel on car bumpers across America, a theory called intelligent design is gaining momentum among conservative groups as an alternative to evolution. Critics say the theory is based on faith rather than science.
Results from a Gallup poll released in November 2004 found about a third of Americans said they believe in evolution, and almost half said they believe God created humans 10,000 years ago.
In January, schoolchildren in Dover County, Penn., became the first public school students to hear about intelligent design in their classroom, according to a Jan. 19 article in The New York Times.
A Question of Credibility
IDEA Club, an OU student organization, is dedicated to promoting discussion on campus about intelligent design, said Lori Deunk, club member and biochemistry junior.
The group organizes lectures and discussions on intelligent design.
'We want people to talk about the controversy,' Deunk said.
Proponents of intelligent design believe evolution cannot explain the complex functions of many plants and animals. They claim life must have been designed by an intelligent force.
However, some scientists say intelligent design isn"t scientific and should not be called a theory.
'It"s not an intelligent design theory; it"s intelligent design faith,' said Ola Fincke, professor of zoology.
Fincke said she thinks intelligent design theory is a thinly veiled attempt to get the Christian belief of creationism into classrooms.
'It"s "get-it-into-the-classroom-and-come-to-Christ,"' Fincke said.
Keeping the Faith
Wade Dejager, club member and biomedical zoology junior, said evolution also requires a certain amount of faith. He said although he is religious, he is able to separate his religion from intelligent design.
'While intelligent design says there is a designer, we don"t make any claims to who or what that designer is,' he said.
Deunk said she is also a Christian, and that her belief in intelligent design is purely scientific.
'A lot of religious people will use it as an explanation, but a belief in God is not necessary for intelligent design,' she said.
Deunk said she would like professors to address the debate over evolution and intelligent design in the classroom.
'I was telling one of my classmates about how I don"t believe in evolution, and she was completely amazed. She had never even heard there was a controversy,' Deunk said.
Michael Behe, professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University, is a strong supporter of intelligent design. In 1996, he published 'Darwin"s Black Box,' a book which challenges the science behind evolution.
Behe said he would like to see intelligent design presented in science classrooms along with a variety of other theories about the origins of life.
'It would be more honest,' said Behe. 'Scientists don"t want to consider this theory because of what it might imply--specifically a designer.'
Michael Mares, research curator for the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, said presenting intelligent design in science classes would not be beneficial to students.
'Evolution is widely accepted,' said Mares. 'There is no controversy among scientists. It would be doing students a great disservice to present intelligent design as science.'
Controversy in the Classroom
Intelligent design has made small inroads at some religious U.S. universities. Boila University, a Christian University in La Mirada, Calif., and Oklahoma Baptist University, in Shawnee, offer courses from an intelligent design perspective, according to the Access Research Network, a non-profit organization that supports Intelligent design.
Fincke said she believes students are more likely to latch onto intelligent design theory because they have heard little about evolution in high school.
'It has become a controversial subject,' she said. 'I have a son at Norman High who is in [Advanced Placement] biology, and they hardly touch on it.'
Fincke said some students have come to her class with 'strange' ideas on why evolution is false.
'I"ve met people who believe men have one more set of ribs than women,' she said.
Misinformation about evolution prompted local author and OU employee Susan Cogan to write a pamphlet on the subject. Cogan is the author of 'The Pocket Darwin,' a booklet that explains evolution. The book is available to download for free on the Internet.
'People only hear a little about [evolution] in high school, and they are uninformed,' said Cogan. 'I wanted to explain evolution in simple terms.'
Cogan said she hopes more people will accept evolution if they are informed on the subject.
'Teachers won"t teach it in public schools because they are afraid they will be fired,' she said.
Deunk said IDEA Club does not want to keep evolution out of the classroom, at OU or at other public schools. In fact, she said she would like it to be taught in more detail.
'I would like my teachers to go into more detail on evolutionary processes,' she said.
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