Our teacher insists on teaching the course his way, with assignments with descriptions such as this.
“Read the above 2 papers. The first is a commentary on the second. Summarize the arguments for this being an argument for design. Why does a Darwinian process have trouble explaining what is being shown by the research?”
Is this allowed in an AP course? I go to an international school outside of America, a private school.
The question may not necessarily be implying that evolution is wrong; it may be testing your critical thinking skills and explain that the theories we learn in schools are constantly being tested and shaped by what we know, and there are still things we don’t know.
Intelligent design is a belief, no more true or false than Native Americans’ and Hindus’ beliefs. It’s not science. (Belief is not knowledge).
And no it’s not part of AP biology, except some might use biology as a science to clear the difference between science and belief (a key modern epistemological difference that became the root of modern science during the enlightenment.)
The way the question is worded could make you want to look for ways Darwinian hypotheses paved the way for further scientific developments? The issue is “being an argument for design”. You could develop your analysis of the first document as an incomplete scientific hypothesis and then add " this second doxument might appear as an argument for design if design were a scientific concept but one of the texts reflects science whereas the other, while appearing to question science, does so from the vantage point of belief. Therefore they cannot be analyzed on the same plane in a science class.", clear it with your parents and if the teacher socks point because you won’t develop intelligent design, and if you have more such examples, decide what you’ll do about it.
One thing could be to reach out to the AP board as well as the principal.
(Do you live in a non democratic country with no separation between church and state?)
@MYOS1634 You can be a democratic country with no separation between church and state…see Germany for example. If you say that you belong to a church, they extract taxes for you that are sent to churches.
As an American, it was very strange for me to see Christmas plays at school! And my kids were also taken aback and made sure to support the jewish kids on their holidays.
I think that an AP class needs to stick to the AP curriculum…
"The College Board, in consultation with its Science Academic Advisory Committee, would like to address recent public concerns pertaining to the theory of evolution as it is assessed in the course audit of Advanced Placement (AP) Biology. The objective of an Advanced Placement course is to provide students with a learning experience that is equivalent to a high-quality freshman college course. In order to meet this objective, such a course must present an accurate and modern description of its academic discipline. Therefore, The College Board endorses the consensus of those professional organizations (a few examples are listed below) that delineate the discipline of modern biology. In keeping with this consensus, the College Board must specify that, in order to meet the AP Biology Audit Course Requirements, the course must treat evolution as “the foundation of modern biological models and thought.” Furthermore, a biology course which purports to be “AP” cannot endorse as a scientific alternative any treatment of the origin and development of living things which conflict with the modern concepts of evolution as described by the aforementioned organizations. The College Board understands the deep and profound regard some students, teachers, and schools may have for such alternative explanations, and respects the right of private and religious schools to develop their own curricula. However, in allowing the designation of “AP,” The College Board is compelled to uphold the standards of the consensus of the community of professional biologists. "
What is interesting about your assignment is not that it is saying “talk about intelligent design” but “analyze what this article is saying about this article about intelligent design”
@bopper: obviously I know Germany or Britain… that’s why I said “non democratic country with no separation of church and state”. I was thinking of Saudi Arabia for instance. Intelligent design is making broad inroads in the Gulf and in Turkey (as well as parts of subsaharan Africa such as Cameroon and Togo).
I agree what matters is expected answer: support for Intelligent Design or critical review of both articles?