Intelligent design politics,not science, OU prof says

A movement which claims to be an alternative to the scientific theory of evolution is nothing than an attempt to inject politics and religion into the classroom, a University of Oklahoma professor said Friday.

Victor H. Hutchinson, a former George Lynn Cross professor of zoology at OU, told members of the Cleveland County Democratic Party the intelligent design movement is part of an "ongoing culture war" being waged in America.

Hutchinson, now retired, spoke at the Democrats' weekly Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon.

"Evolution is not a faith and intelligent design is not a scientific theory," Hutchinson said. "Science can only ask 'how,' science cannot ask 'why?'"

Using a computerized slide presentation, Hutchinson told the group many creationists claim anyone who supports the theory of evolution is automatically an atheist.

"These fundamentalist groups say, 'the removal of the theory of evolution will be salvation of western civilization,'" Hutchinson said. "They have said, 'this is not a debate about science but religion and philosophy.'"

Their group's goal, Hutchinson said, is to make the United States a theocracy.

"Religion and science don't need to conflict," he said. "And most of our country's mainstream church understand this. It's only in the far right that we have this problem."

In fact, Hutchinson said, the only other country with a greater fundamentalist movement seeking to inject religion in the classroom is Islamic Turkey.

"This is something that has happened before," he said "We saw this movement in the '20s, when the country moved toward fundamentalism, and we had a similar response in the '50s and in the '80s."

And now, Hutchinson said, "we're seeing the same movement again."

"Part of the problem is our fault," he said. "Education and science educators have failed to explain scientific education to the general public. The general public has no idea what science is and how research is done."

And because of that, Hutchinson said most people don't understand the difference between a theory -- that is, a guess -- and a scientific theory, which has been vetted, tested and reviewed.

"A scientific theory is as close as you can get. The scientific theory of evolution is just as valuable a theory as the theory of gravity or the theory of plate tectonics," he said. "But metaphysical concepts like faith and religion are different. The supernatural is not testable."

Hutchinson criticized some fundamentalist groups' reliance on polls to push for the teaching of intelligent design. "Polls don't determine science," he said.


The professor also had harsh words for some members of the Oklahoma Legislature.

"We've had to battle textbook disclaimers, bills for intelligent design and academic sunshine laws," he said. "This has become a partisan issue and it shouldn't have."

The only way to ensure that science is taught in the classroom is by continuing to fight the efforts of those who support intelligent design, he said.

"There is room for a discussion of intelligent design in the classroom," he said. "But not as a scientific theory. There are many places were it could be discussed, it's just not science."

And the problem, Hutchinson said, will "only get worse."

"Many science teachers are afraid to teach evolution because of the issues involved," he said. "And I had some tell me that when they do talk about it, students have asked to be excused. We are in the middle of a culture war and I don't think it will ever stop.