APS News, October 2005, Vol 14,No. 9 ----APS President Says Intelligent Design Should Not beTaught as Science

APS = American Physical Society

APS President Says Intelligent Design
Should Not be Taught as Science

APS President Marvin Cohen, University Professor of Physics at the
University of California, Berkeley, issued a statement in August saying
that only scientifically validated theories, such as evolution, should
be taught in the nation's science classes. His statement was in response
to remarks by President George Bush regarding intelligent design, a form
of creationism.

In comments to journalists in Texas, President Bush had said that
intelligent design should be taught side-by-side with scientific
theories of evolution in the classroom. Those remarks were later
clarified by Presidential Science Advisor John Marburger.

"We are happy that the President's recent comments on the theory of
intelligent design have been clarified," said Cohen. "As [Marburger] has
explained, President Bush does not regard intelligent design as science.
If such things are to be taught in the public schools, we believe they
belong in a course on comparative religion, which is a particularly
appropriate subject for our children given the present state of the
world."

The APS Council has long opposed the inclusion of religious concepts
such as intelligent design and related forms of creationism in science
classes, passing two public statements on the issue in 1981 and 1999.
The full text of those statements can be found at:

http://www.aps.org/statements/81_1.cfm

http://www.aps.org/statements/99_5.cfm
Received on Tue Oct 18 14:18:39 2005