How is the intelligent design and evolution debate relevant to sociology?

Someone did a project on the perspectives of scientists on the intelligent design vs. evolution debate and the impact of this debate on science education-- in addition how this relates to the relationship between religion and science. How are these themes in any way related to the field of sociology?

How is the intelligent design and evolution debate relevant to sociology?
Unlike leprechauns and unicorns, etc., a significant percentage of the population believes in ID. And that is a lot of your taxpaying voters.





Most Christians I know don't want biblical creationism taught in science classes. What we want is for molecules-to-man evolution to be taught with all its warts (they are not even allowed to present evidence that would put evolution in a poor light). And we want intelligent design to at least to be presented.





So many people these days are confusing biblical creationism with intelligent design. "Intelligent Design is the study of patterns in nature that are best explained as the result of intelligence" (Dr. William Dembski). That's it; it says nothing of who the creator is and how he/she/it/they did it. Intelligent Design encompasses every "creation" story, even aliens seeding life on this planet.





What about teaching it in school? I'm sorry, but I have to agree with George W. Bush: "Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about . . . Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought . . . You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.”
Reply:A great book to read on the history of the evolution vs. creationism (or ID) debate is Monkey Girl by Edward Humes. It depicts primarily the Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District case in which the court ruled that ID (or creationism) could not be taught in the science classroom. The case was viewed as a modern day Scopes Monkey Trial. I think the debate is very much related to sociology, specifically cultural sociology, because the issue has become something of a cultural litmus test in that declaring oneself a 'creationist' or an 'evolutionist' implies quite a bit about an individual's religious principles, political ideals and overall where they stand in the social spectrum. People, therefore, judge accordingly.


Both sides are not really interested in understanding the other as each has their own agenda. One side is trying to protect their faith against what they see as an immoral pseudoreligion while the other side is trying to protect scientific reasoning and methodology from what they see as ignorance and superstition. Given the importance of faith and reason in the human condition, one can understand why both sides feel so strongly about the issue.


The biggest injustice the debate has brought to our culture is that it gives people the impression they have to choose one over the other; that one cannot have faith and follow scientific reasoning. It is this misunderstanding that harms our science education and religion the most. There is a need for both faith and reason in our advancing society and there can be a healthy blend of both. Sociology can help explain the development of ideals and perspectives revolving around the issue.
Reply:In the R%26amp;S Section, that debate isn't relevant to anything. They just like to fight. It's sad, really. Nobody wants to examine evidence on either side. I think the argument is nothing more than a substitute for other, deeper arguments, like materialism vs spirituality.
Reply:Cultural influences such as religion and education are very important to various fields of sociology- given by names we're already talking about, sociologies of culture, religion and education. Social processes like what led to the recent surge of this issue in public fora and politics are very relevant topics to be studied in sociology. The debate itself, and particularly the arguments used, are not the focus of sociological interent, but the power of this debate to drastically change educational law in the state of Kansas, is very interesting indeed. The connections between this debate and the original Scopes trial, for example, or the constant criticism of Charles Darwin since he penned his theories, is also an interesting study in the contentions among religion, science, and state

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