Good Book: Science Academy Says Don’t Confuse Religion With Biology

The United States’ most prestigious scientific organization has once again stepped forward to remind us that religion is not science and should not be taught as such in public schools. 

Reuters reports that the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine on Thursday “issued a spirited defense of evolution as the bedrock principle of modern biology, arguing that it, not creationism, must be taught in public school science classes.”

The 70-page book, called “Science, Evolution and Creationism,” is designed to give lay people the most comprehensive and current understanding of evolution and its significance.

The report walks the reader through the nature of science, the overwhelming evidence supporting evolution and outsiders’ attempts to undermine sound science education.

Countering creationists’ arguments that evolution is “just a theory” (i.e., no more than an unsubstantiated hunch), the book explains that evolution is “just a theory” in the way gravity is “just a theory.” The theories of gravity and evolution stand on “equally solid foundation[s] of observation, experiment, and confirming evidence,” says the book.

Attempts to sneak biblical creationism into public school science classrooms under the auspices of “intelligent design” (ID) are also addressed.  

An entire chapter is dedicated to exploring the different “creationist perspectives” – from young-earth creationism to intelligent design – and concludes that teaching these perspectives as science confuses and misleads students about the subject’s nature and limits.

Or, as renowned evolutionary biologist Kevin Padian said in the recent documentary “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial,” teaching ID as science “makes people stupid.” We certainly don’t need any more help with that!  

It becomes very clear by the end of the book that evolution is not only central to understanding how life exists today, but also understanding where it’s headed in the future.

A substantial portion of the volume explains evolutionary theory’s role in predicting and preventing communicable diseases such as influenza and SARS. The not-so-subtle message is that discarding evolution in science education poses a serious health risk. 

The new book is also unique because it attempts assuage fears that science and religion cannot coexist. “Science and religion offer different ways of understanding the world,” it explains.

According to the text, accepting evolution and belief in God are not antithetical, and assertions to the contrary create controversy and conflict “where none need exist.” Indeed, the book says “needlessly placing [science and religion] in opposition reduces the potential of both to contribute to a better future.”

It’s a bit disheartening that science education has devolved to the point that makes this book necessary, but it will prove to be a valuable resource for parents, teachers, students and policy-makers alike. You can read “Science, Evolution and Creationism” in its entirety on the NAS Web site.

By Lauren Smith