No Data Required: Why Intelligent Design Is Not Science

作者：Hafer Abby^*

来源：AMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, 2015, 77(7): 507-513.

DOI：10.1525/abt.2015.77.7.5

• Evolution
• Intelligent Design
• Creationism
• science
• content analysis
• data
• argue
• Discovery Institute
• science education
• strengths and weaknesses
• hypothesis

Intelligent Design (ID) proposes that biological species were created by an intelligent Designer, and not by evolution. ID's proponents insist that it is as valid a theory of how biological organisms and species came into existence as evolution by natural selection. They insist, therefore, that ID be taught as science in public schools. These claims were defeated in the Kitzmiller case. However, ID's proponents are still influential and cannot be considered a spent force. The question addressed here is whether ID's claim of scientific legitimacy is reinforced by quantified results. That is, do they have any data, or do they just argue? The ID articles that I analyzed claimed to present real science, but they rarely referred to data and never tested a hypothesis. Argumentation, however, was frequent. By contrast, peer-reviewed articles by evolutionary biologists rarely argued but referred frequently to data. The results were statistically significant. These findings negate claims by ID proponents that their articles report rigorous scientific research. Teachers will find this article helpful in defending evolution, distinguishing science from non-science, and discussing the weaknesses of ID.

• 出版日期2015-9