Teaching Religion and Science In Public Schools - 998 Words

In the United States, the average child goes through public funded schools that have a basic curriculum. According to the Texas Education Agency, some of the subjects include science, mathematics, social studies, English, and more. Nowhere in the subject is religion included. The basic curriculum is made in order to give students skills, knowledge, and to help develop the minds of the future. In science class, evolution is taught either briefly or detailed. It is taught because it is a popular theory that did not seem to choose a certain religion. So why believe that religion and science can be taught together? The evolution of Earth and the universe can be believed in any way an individual chooses. Science and religion are subjects†¦show more content†¦The twisting revelation leaves holes most want to fill in. The wanting to know is what keeps these scientific theories going. Knocking down religion is not the purpose. Religion itself has existed for generations. The fundamentals that go into each religion are the base of how people act and feel. Science can be a little cold and that is okay. â€Å"There were gaps in Newton’s universe†¦in Einstein’s universe† (Krauthammer 40). But then again, religion is not something that is completely discredited. It is believed by some philosophers that if religion did not exist and Gods were not real, then why do people know about them? According to philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s idea of an infinite power was an unsayable thing and it is the underling of everything that one could say. This might be the opinion of a philosopher who has faith. In science there is no research to see why people do such things. There is a chance in social science but that could be the same as religion. Sociology and psychology are not taught in science classes, so it shows that each class has something di fferent. The separation of those classes allowed Charles Darwin to get the concept of evolution from Plato and Aristotle’s work. Aristotle suggested â€Å"Ladder of nature† (Audesirk 267). This led to the discovery natural selection. Learning religion separately from science allows aShow MoreRelatedThe Problems of Teaching Creationism in Schools1465 Words   |  6 PagesNot Very Creative: On Not Teaching Creationism in Schools Everybody should have a right to believe in whatever religious or spiritual system they want. Living in America, people are legally guaranteed that freedom, as well as protection from being persecuted for their beliefs. Recently there’s been a lot of talk in the media about religious freedom, as a result of the gay marriage controversies. Many people have cited gay marriage as an attack on their religious freedom. However, an excellent HuffingtonRead MorePros and Cons of Teaching Creationism in School1197 Words   |  5 PagesFor this research paper I am going to discuss the pros and the cons about Creationism in school and why I feel that it should be left out of the public school system. Even though I am writing about both sides of the issue, I feel, for most part, that religion should be kept out of schools. I will present both sides of my topic and make a stand on why I feel that religion does not belong in public schools. Some of the pros of Creationism are that students have to think beyond the box. CreationismRead MoreThe Controversy Over Creationism And Evolution1415 Words   |  6 Pagescomes to what is being taught in the biology classrooms in public schools today. It may be hard to imagine, but just over 100 years ago the curriculum and beliefs would have looked dramatically different. 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It was notRead MoreInterrupt Science Essay802 Words   |  4 Pagesinterrupt science classes; it would provide the option, without violating students’ rights to practice their beliefs, religious or not. 2.) It is discouraged by the AAR to use guest speakers unless they have training or background in religious studies (Moore, 2010 p.23). Although this guide is written for the study of religious traditions, it could apply to the creation, evolution, and intelligent designs debate because if the wrong speaker is chosen, the students may only see a small representationRead MoreThe Theory Of Evolution Or Intelligent Design1677 Words   |  7 Pagesdominate as the explanation; either the theory of evolution or Intelligent Design. The theory of evolution was first published by Charles Darwin, a famous figure who is just as controversial in modern society as he was in his own time. He introduced the public to the theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species, where he proposed that new species evolve from older ones through Natural Selection, or the process of the organism which are better adapted to their environment being the ones to surviveRead MoreThe Balance Between Evolu tion And Creation1075 Words   |  5 PagesBetween Evolution and Creation By: Ashton Lyons In America, public schools are allowed to teach any philosophy explaining the existence of all species on Earth. This ranges from christian creationism to scientific evolutionary timelines. Many have disputes about which should be taught in public schools. However, there are many valid reasons why Evolution should not be the only human timeline (Wanjie, 56) taught to children in public schools. Reasons such as natural interpretation, philosophical understandingRead MoreThe Battle Of Creationism And Evolutionary Theory869 Words   |  4 Pagesalongside evolutionary theory within the science curriculum of secondary schools of a municipality or state, these individuals are mistaken. Creationism is not a science, therefore by teaching it one violates the first amendment and also further develops the religious inequality that its supporters argue teaching it creates. There is no place for creationism in the science curriculum within secondary public education. To begin, the idea that creationism is a science is a troublesome one in itself. AccordingRead MoreCreationism : A Theory Of Primordial History1585 Words   |  7 Pagesa theory of primordial history, moreover with the belief of creationism. Both have had an astounded impact in the framework of contemporary education should or should not be taught in the public classroom. Evolutionists and Creationists both have their reasons why their beliefs should be taught in the public classroom. The matter of the fact is that both of these are considered beliefs, things that are only backed by faith. Only faith, they are not supported by fact which makes them not a theoryRead MoreThe First Ammendment and Dealing with the Separation of Church and State1741 Words   |  7 PagesState Is it unconstitutional for local, state or federal governments to favor one religion over another? Government can show favoritism toward religion by displaying religious symbols in public places at taxpayer expense, by sponsoring events like Christmas concerts, caroling, by supporting the teaching of religious ideas, or even by supporting the teaching of creationism in public schools. It appears the United States government has had a history of favoring Christianity. The

A World of Critical Thinkers Free Essays

The world is becoming more competitive thus, there is an need to make decisions that would matter. In formulating intelligent decisions, the individual should not only think individually but holistically. It is through collective thinking that he is able to see the real impact of a certain act. We will write a custom essay sample on A World of Critical Thinkers or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this day and age, there are is a need to look beyond the facts and analyze things deeper. As much as possible, all details should be taken into consideretion. The paper contains a discussion of critical thinking and how it could help in the formulating intelligent decisions. It enumerates the characterisitics of a critical thinker and the instances whhere this form of thinking can be applied. A World of Critical Thinkers Many educators are concerned with the way their students process information. There are those who exhibit confusion and doubt their understanding of the lessons while there are those who feel confident about it and can answer any question related to the topic. This variance that educators get from their students places them in doubt whether or not they are able to reach out to the needs of their students. In most instances, the teacher is the provider of the information while the student is the receiver; seldom does it happen that process is reversed. This is the reason why many students exhibit dependence to their teachers. However, this should not be the case as it is like spoon feeding them. Learning is not merely about absorbing the information that are provided, it is about understanding, analyzing and thinking critically the subject matter presented. The level of understanding of the students do not actually depend on their mental capacity but on their capability to think critically. Critical thinking is a form of reflective, skillful and responsible thinking. It is going beyond the facts and finding reason for the existence of those facts. It is the ability of an individual to take charge of his own thinking by developing criteria and standards for assessment (Elder and Paul,1994). Critical thinkers are not contented with what are merely presented to them, they exert effort to understand and reason out through gathering additional information. They analyze holistically and not individually. Through this collective analysis, one can interconnect the details and see the real impact thereof. Good conclusions are not simply formulated from a simple set of facts; they are based on research and critical analysis. A good critic ignores his biases and tries to understand things as they appear. He uses evidence impartially and skillfully. He is someone who is willing to let go of his hypothesis and formulated conclusions in case the results do not come out right. He is open minded and expects a lot of possibilities. He does not limit himself with what he knows; instead he explores to understand and learn. He also understands the difference between logically valid and invalid inferences and can distinguish the variance betweem reasoning and rationalizing. Most of the designers of critical thinking programs are social scientists. They create these designs mainly to improve thinking in the fields of social studies and the humnanities (Schafersman, 1991). Critical thinking can be applied in lectures, laboratories, making of homeworks, quantitative execises such as solving mathematical and word problems, making of term papers and most importantly answering questions during examinations. These activities encourage the students to understand better and apply inquisitive and reasoning skills (Schafersman, 1991). Critical thinking skills should be developed as early as possible because once this is established, it will be easier for the individual to make intelligent choices. The reason why many people commit mistakes is not because of mere ignorance or frailty of mind. They commit mistakes because they fail to think intelligently and analyze the facts involved before they act or make decisions. Hard decisions in life are made after careful thinking and analysis. All aspects of the issue is viewed and all possible effects are expected. A critical thinker is able plan ahead and provide remedy for any anomaly that may happen in the execution of his task or in the realization of the decision that he made. At work, the application of critical thinking is inevitable. Proper decisions must be made in order for the company to function better. Any unintelligent decision may create serious repurcussions. Every move must count and the effects thereof be combatted easily. I was once assigned to make a proposal regarding the expansion of the market of the company that I work for. In making the proposal, I did not simply rely on what I know instead I conducted research and surveys. First I listed the interests of the company and its main goals then I made a list of competitors and analyzed their profile. I studied their strengths and weaknesses as well as the business interetsts that they have. Through this process, I was able to figure out on which aspect can the company can develop an edge over the others. When I have determined the aspect to concetrate on, I researched for possible markets for the new undertaking. I conducted surveys to determine its profitability and the people who will patronize it. Knowing the class of people who are interested in the undertaking will help the company in creating products and giving services that they need and want. A company exists to provide services and products for the consumption of the people. They exist to serve and gain profit thus, in formulating decisions, they make sure that the needs of their clients are addressed. After generating data for the new business and the market thereof, I also made an analysis on how to go about with it. The advantages and disadvantages were laid out as well as the probability of the success of the business. Analyzing the data as well as the results of the surveys was a difficult task since these were not seen as they are. There was a holistic analysis of the issues presented to better understand the impact of the project. Taking them piece by piece may not necessarily yield to the results that the company needs. I had to look beyond the facts and think for the future. I also opened my mind to several possibilities that may happen and prepared back up plans in case the initial plan fails. The result generted from all of these facts were collated to form the proposal. It was after completing the job that I realized the importance of critical thinking. There is a need to think out of the box to be able to list down endless possibilities and ways of exploring those possibilities. Through the activity,i realized that critical thinking is a tedious process, however the results generated from it makes the effort worthwhile. Through critical thinking, the world becomes more colorful and exciting. References Elder, L. and Paul, R. â€Å"Critical thinking: why we must transform our teaching. † Journal of Development Education, Fall 1994. Schafersman, S. (1991). An Introduction to Critical Thinking. Free Inquiry. Retrieved 14 October 2008 from, http://www. freeinquiry. com/critical-thinking. html How to cite A World of Critical Thinkers, Papers

The Opportunistic Scavenger free essay sample

â€Å"Well Katherine, I find that the more you do, the more you can do.† He then looked back at me and smiled with a toothy grin. I smiled back. I was confused. What on earth is he saying? The statement was spontaneous. It was simple, and so benign I could have easily ignored it had I not found the sheer essence of the thing a matter of sardonic perplexity. What is more, it was directed to me, as if it were now a personal mission of mine to explore the phrase in close detail. The battle was on; there could be only one victor. To be fair, I frequently find myself in heated debate with the English language. These grandiose examples of personal confliction are often made all the more absurd by my strong conviction that language is the highest form of communicative reverence. I tend to place words upon a pedestal, like they belong in a shrine for all to see. We will write a custom essay sample on The Opportunistic Scavenger or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I am rarely bewildered by a phrase, as I get older this becomes more and more true. So when Nils so casually and so completely baffled me with the use of words that any first grader has mastered, it was no longer a phrase, it was a matter of dignity – my logophilic pride was on the line. Days went by and I contemplated long and hard on the meaning of that phrase. I took everything into account: I analyzed Nils’ personality, I examined the situation in which the phrase was uttered, and I even entertained, for a moment, the possibility that the phrase could mean nothing (an action anyone who knows me very well could tell is a sure sign of desperation). In the end a revelation came when I was about to give up entirely and leave the battle for lost. Nils is someone who has somehow managed to make himself an important person with what appears to be very little in the way of traditional success. There is nothing that I can cite as the one event that got him to where he is now. Nonetheless, Nils picks up new opportunities like they are on the brink of extinction. He is perhaps the busiest person I have ever met, but he seems to handle it effortlessly. Then I realized, what Nils was saying was not about being busy or doing more, it was about opportunity. Perhaps a more concise interpretation is as follows: â€Å"I find that the more opportunities you take advantage of, the more open your possibilities will be.† Besides, when you think about it, isn’t that what life is? Life is a large trail of opportunities that you pick up and carry with you. I imagine a board game, The Opportunistic Scavenger where you pick up your opportunities and each one leads to another. That one simple phrase, so irksome in nature, has become my mantra, and though I hate to admit it, it is much more meaningful now for having caused me so much trouble.