Alliance for Science

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The mission of the [Alliance for Science] is to heighten public understanding and support for science and to preserve the distinctions between science and religion in the public sphere. We bring together scientists, teachers and science-related companies with the many religious bodies that have found no conflict between religion and science. Together we work to reawaken America’s love of science, and to restore our competitive edge in science and technology.

Today America faces a scientific crisis similar to the one following the Soviet Union’s launch of the world’s first artificial satellite in 1957. The news that we had lost the lead in the space race revitalized American science, produced the landing on the moon in 1969, and established the superiority of the U.S. in space. But now the rapid decline in our scientific research capability threatens to leave America behind again in a technologically competitive world.

This decline is a result of widespread ignorance about science in this country. Surveys have revealed that about 75% of the American population is scientifically illiterate and about 50% rejects evolution, a fundamental principle that underlies modern science. This rejection is encouraged by advocates of creationism who are now taking advantage of a favorable political climate to try to replace the teaching of evolution in our public school biology classes with so-called “intelligent design theory.”

Since the teaching of creationism in public schools has been struck down repeatedly by the U.S. Supreme Court, it has been given this new name, with the argument that it is not creationism because it does not specify who the “intelligent designer” is. However the Discovery Institute, the main proponent of ID, makes it clear that their real purpose is: “to reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions.” If they succeed, our international leadership in scientific research and technological development will be lost, perhaps irrevocably.

Prominent scientists and other influential opponents of creationism mostly operate independently and therefore cannot effectively compete with creationists in the public arena. We will unite with them to educate the public about the different but complementary roles of science and religion; to improve the teaching of science in our public schools; and to restore the excitement about science and discovery that once characterized the U.S.

(Text copied from the [Alliance for Science] website with permission.