Take nobody's word for anything

WORLD OF SCIENCE - BOB BROCKIE

Professor Michael Reiss, an Anglican clergyman, has just stood down as education spokesman for the top British scientific club, the Royal Society. This was because he outraged society members by calling for creationism to be discussed in school science classes.

Creationism is just a codeword for biblical Christianity, so you can understand why so many members were upset and didn't want to go the way of American schools.

In Britain, Reiss' sacking sparked quite an outcry. Christians say "the Royal Society treated him badly", "the society is unenlightened on creationism", "myths have a place in education", "children should be taught both sides of the story", "the Royal Society is a bunch of loonies out of touch with the modern world" and so on.

Surprisingly, the controversy has been aired on several New Zealand radio programmes and talkbacks. Every local speaker I heard thought that the cleric had been unjustly sacked and that creationism should be discussed in science classes.

Well, they have a point. The story of the biblical creation provides a wonderful springboard or opportunity for teachers to discuss the profound differences between fables, mythology and science.

When Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Christopher Wren and Edmund Halley set up the Royal Society in 1663, their motto was "Nullius in Verba", that is to say, "Take nobody's word for anything".

Then, as now, true scientists question all authority, trusting only to experimental and verifiable evidence. By contrast, Christianity is based on biblical authority, faith, wishful thinking and ambiguity – all anathema to science.

The scientists I know think creationism is no more credible than tarot reading.

The Earth created in seven days? Talking snakes? Magic apples? Virgin births? The ark marooning 120,000 species of mollusc 4000 metres up Mt Ararat?

We humans as fallen angels or clones of Adam's rib? Life after death and prayers answered?

Where's the evidence? No rational person can take these poetic fantasies seriously.

Anti-evolution and creationist propaganda stream out of two TV channels and several radio stations in New Zealand 24/7 and an endless barrage of unsolicited creationist DVDs and workbooks is mailed to hundreds of our schools by the American Discovery Institute of Creation Science.

Something needs to be done to challenge this unscientific nonsense. History and religious studies teachers know little about radiodating rocks and fossils, virgin birth, ape dna and modern evolutionary theory, so it must fall to science teachers to enlarge on these topics and discuss their wider implications.

New Zealand has its own Royal Society, representing nearly 20,000 local scientists. The society has not joined the fray about creationism in science classes but I think it should, reminding teachers that science progresses by confronting superstitious nonsense and demanding experimental evidence for any claim.

Some kids and their parents will be offended, but we must balance that with other kids and parents equally offended by the claims of creationists.

I would further suggest that over the doors of all school laboratories should be inscribed "Nullius in Verba".

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