The right to free thought and freedom of speech is enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. If anyone wants to know what freedom of speech means, America is the prime example. In this country, people can express whatever opinions they hold. One group may say President Trump is the best leader, while others insist he is the worst. Any opinion can be written, spoken, and argued openly.
Darwin’s theory is taught in schools and colleges all over the world. In short, his theory states that humans came into existence through evolution. Whether Darwin’s theory should be taught in schools often depends on public opinion in each community. About three decades ago, another idea emerged in the United States: “intelligent design.” According to many conservatives, intelligent design means that God is the ultimate intelligence and everything has happened — and continues to happen — according to His plan.
Interestingly, a case was filed in Dover County, Pennsylvania, over whether evolution or intelligent design should be taught in schools. The court ruled that intelligent design must be taught before evolution.
But here lies the issue: evolution is science, while intelligent design is not. In 2001, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Eric Cornell wrote an article in Time magazine addressing this point. He argued that intelligent design could be taught in religion or philosophy classes, but not in science classes. Otherwise, scientific progress would stall.
For example, why is the sky blue? There are two possible answers. One, it appears blue because of Rayleigh scattering of sunlight. Two, it is blue simply because God wanted it that way. People may have believed the second explanation before 1855, but when Lord Rayleigh proved the scientific cause, knowledge advanced.
There is still much we do not know. No one should want to close the door to new discoveries.
After the Dover County verdict, proponents of intelligent design lost in subsequent votes. As a result, intelligent design is not required to be taught before evolution. Still, the outcome upset several conservative leaders. One of them, televangelist Pat Robertson — who once ran for president — claimed that God’s curse would bring natural disasters to Dover.
Of course, the term “intelligent design” is also sometimes used in describing the scientific method — observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion. But that is very different from the religious or political debate.
America is indeed a land of freedom and peace. But that does not mean there is no unrest. One persistent source of turmoil is gun violence. Every day, someone dies from gunshot wounds. In schools, there are two or three incidents each month. The shooter often kills himself or is killed by law enforcement. If he survives, he is arrested, tried, and — if found mentally ill — sent to a rehabilitation facility.
Readers may recall the mass shooting in Manhattan, New York, in which three people were killed, including an immigrant police officer from my native country. With so many mass killings happening, should we not look more seriously for a remedy?
Jiben Roy, a native of Bangladesh, is a retired chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences professor at Mississippi University for Women. He writes occasional columns in The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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