Kentucky lawmakers shocked to find evolution in biology tests

[Cyberia]

Kentucky lawmakers shocked to find evolution in biology tests
http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/08/kentucky-lawmakers-shocked-to-find-evolutoin-in-biology-tests/

A report surfaced this week that suggests Kentucky legislators may be experiencing a sort of cognitive dissonance that is likely to be a preview of things we can expect elsewhere. After dictating that schools in the state include tests based on national standards, the state lawmakers were shocked to find that evolution made a prominent appearance on the science tests. The same legislative body was considering undercutting evolution less than two years ago, so this may have come as a bit of a surprise.

and later....

The same report quotes Representative Ben Waide, who demonstrated his lack of scientific knowledge by saying, "The theory of evolution is a theory, and essentially the theory of evolution is not science—Darwin made it up." Waide went on to say that "Under the most rudimentary, basic scientific examination, the theory of evolution has never stood up to scientific scrutiny."

Just fucking wow.

[Nam]

I think there may be a topic already on this. I think.

-Nam

[Nick]

In 4 yrs time that kind of thinking will be the national standard.

[jaimehlers]

I am shocked, shocked!, to find evolution in the national school standards.

About as shocked as finding out about gambling in Rick's casino.

[Backspace]

The same report quotes Representative Ben Waide, who demonstrated his lack of scientific knowledge by saying, "The theory of evolution is a theory, and essentially the theory of evolution is not science—Darwin made it up." Waide went on to say that "Under the most rudimentary, basic scientific examination, the theory of evolution has never stood up to scientific scrutiny."

I can't... He can't... This can't... How does... What the...   

Fuck.

[Xero-Kill]

Isn't it funny how the same people who think we are the most specialist creatures in all the cosmos, created by the most powerful being outside of space and time itself, can't learn anything beyond the ramblings of illiterate bronze age goat herders? If we were made in this beings image, and destined to aspire to its perfection, then why wouldn't it want us to grow in knowledge and understanding?

[Nick]

Isn't it funny how the same people who think we are the most specialist creatures in all the cosmos, created by the most powerful being outside of space and time itself, can't learn anything beyond the ramblings of illiterate bronze age goat herders? If we were made in this beings image, and destined to aspire to its perfection, then why wouldn't it want us to grow in knowledge and understanding?

Its that Tree of Knowledge thing.  Stay away from it.

[Brakeman]

The sad part of this to me is, that we progressives can't seem to get our shit together enough to protect the public from people as stupid as this.

[Nick]

The sad part of this to me is, that we progressives can't seem to get our shit together enough to protect the public from people as stupid as this.

I agree.  If half of the base would vote we could stop them.  It's like they don't understand what is happening and what is coming.

[Quesi]

And those are the state-level elected officials. 

Fortunately, at the federal level, we have a much more qualified group of scholars.

[darkdragon46]

And this is why I vote democrat.

Seriously though, If you say evolution isn't proven, I'd just say that it hasn't been proven wrong yet.  Changed, yes.   Completely invalidated, no.  Sometimes I think that some of this debate comes from ignorance of how science works, not just the science itself.  Theories are based on hypothesises.  They can either be proven incorrect, at which point they are either changed or discarded, or correct at which point they are broadened to encompass more data and the process starts again.  They never become a law.  Scientific laws are based on observations, and are things that we have observed to always happen, but can not prove either way.