Film: Flock of Dodos
Wednesday April 8, 12:30pm Katy Campus Cyber Lounge
On Wednesday April 8, 12:30pm Pandora’s Box open enrollment continuing education class will view and discuss the film Flock of Dodos: the Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus. Filmmaker, surfer, and evolutionary biologist Dr. Randy Olson humorously explores the controversy, which challenges evolution’s authoritative role in science classes and warns evolutionists that they ignore the controversy at their own peril. Professor Laura Smith will lead the discussion.
Trailer
Handout from Prof. Laura Smith
Flock of Dodos: The Evolution—Intelligent Design Circus by Randy Olson
Darwin said species are selected by nature and evolve through adaptation due to environmental changes, or they became extinct if they do not adapt and evolve.
Mainstream scientists say the earth is 4.6 billion years old and the evidence found in the fossil record and DNA supports Darwin. They believe that evolution is not a theory but a fact. They don’t think religious Creationism should be taught in science classrooms. They don’t believe that Intelligent Design is science so it should not be taught in science class.
Creationists say God created Earth and everything on it about 6 thousand years ago as described in the book of Genesis in the Bible. Non-Christian religions have their own creation stories.
Intelligent Design says that evolution is an okay theory but the world is so complex that parts of it had to be designed and that there is a designer. Most people who believe in Intelligent Design say that they believe God is that designer. During the past 10 years, Intelligent Design proponents have tried to change public school science books to include their beliefs.
For the past 20 years in Texas, it has been part of the science curriculum to teach students to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of evolution theory. This has far-reaching effects because many textbooks are written to Texas standards so other states often use the same texts.
Questions
What are your feelings about this subject?
Should science teachers talk about God or an intelligent designer?
Is there any class in public school where God should be discussed?
Is the exclusion of Intelligent Design a free speech issue?
Can you believe in God and also believe in evolution?
Do you think college is the place to discuss these topics?
Did you think much about this subject before you watched this movie? Will you think more about it now that you have learned more about it?
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