The politics of evolution
By: David F. Prindle
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 186
ISBN-13: 9781138887831; 9781138887848
Subjects: Philosophy; Public opinion; Political aspects; Evolution (Biology); Religious aspects; Influence
Description: "The controversy over teaching evolution or creationism in American public schools offers a policy paradox. Two sets of values--science and democracy--are in conflict when it comes to the question of what to teach in public school biology classes. Prindle illuminates this tension between American public opinion, which clearly prefers that creationism be taught in public school biology classes, versus the ideal that science, and only science, be taught in those classes. An elite consisting of scientists, professional educators, judges, and business leaders by and large are determined to ignore public preferences and teach only science in science classes despite the majority opinion to the contrary. So how have the political process and the Constitutional law establishment managed to thwart the people's will in this self-proclaimed democracy? Drawing on a vast body of work across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, Prindle explores the rhetoric of the evolution issue, explores its history, examines the nature of the public opinion that causes it, evaluates the Constitutional jurisprudence that upholds it, and explains the political dynamic that keeps it going."--Back cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Biology : the most political science; title: Evolution and metaphor; title: Evolution and religion; title: Evolution and Public opinion; title: The jurisprudence of evolution; title: Evolution and the party battle.