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Dry Bones 1'8 E11 1

DO YOU KNOW\
WHAT THAT
MEANS?

Keeping Religion Separate

o its advocates, intelligent design is a rea-
sonable way of explaining the origins of life
and answers some questions that the
Theory of Evolution fails to address.
To its opponents, however, it is a way of sneaking
creationism — the doctrine that insists on the literal
into the
truth of the opening verses of Genesis
science classes of public schools through the back
door.
The debate is raging in legislatures and school
boards across the country. There are currently two
bills in committee in the Michigan Legislature that
would mandate teaching intelligent design, and a
school district near Kalamazoo may face a lawsuit
for refusing to allow the concept to be
taught in its schools.
Three states already have passed laws
that make the teaching of intelligent
design permissible in public schools.
On the surface, intelligent design seems to be a
way of using contemporary science to affirm reli-
gious belief. Many of its advocates have impressive
academic credentials and cite recent work in such
arcane areas as complexity theory to buttress their
position.
Their case was stated most compellingly in the
book At Home in the Universe: The Search for the
Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity by bio-
physicist Stuart Kauffman. He argued that there are
2,000 enzymes that support life and the possibility

—

of assembling them by chance would be about 1
in 10 to the 40,000th power. He compared that
probability to a tornado sweeping through a
junkyard and assembling a Boeing 747 from its
materials. There had to be a design.
Others supporters insist that natural processes
go from the complex to the simple —.not the
other way around, as Charles Darwin argued for
Evolution.
But Robert T Pennock, professor of science
and philosophy at Michigan State University, and
one of the most outspoken opponents of design,
says that the theory fails the most basic law of
science — it cannot be verified by testing. "One
may, of course, retain religious faith in
a designer who transcends natural
processes," he says, "but there is no way
to dust for his fingerprints.
And, he adds, "Once supernatural processes are
wedged in, it loses any chance of testability."
A recent poll of American physicians, spon-
sored in part by the Jewish Theological Seminary
of America, found a clear divide on the subject.
More than one-third of the survey saw some
merit in teaching intelligent design. But when
broken down by religious groups, 88 percent of
Jewish doctors rejected the idea and labeled it
pseudo-science, while a small majority of Protestant
physicians agreed with it.
For people of faith, the chance to reconcile .
Darwin and the Almighty is an attractive idea. It
certainly appears to be a more elegant explanation
than the fundamentalists offer.
In terms of provable science, though, it falls short.

EDIT ORIAL

E-mail your opinion in a letter to the editor of no more
than 150 words to: letters@thejewishnews.com.

Asphalt Orchard

ocal governments like to give labels to cer-
tain roads for promotional purposes.
"National Historic Route." "Scenic Byway."
That sort of thing.
I have a suggestion for the portion of Orchard
Lake Road that runs between 12 Mile and Pontiac
Trail. How about "Disgrace to Civilization"?
- This stretch of highway, the main stem of West
Bloomfield and Farmington Hills, goes beyond gar-
den-variety sprawl. Whatever planners
were responsible for letting this mess occur
ought to have their licenses revoked.
It is not only the state of the pavement,
which compares unfavorably to the Ho
Chi Minh Trail.
It is not only the state of the drivers, half of
whom are too intent on their cell phones to pay
attention to the road, while the other half seem to
have been struck smartly above the right temple
with a ball-peen hammer just before getting into
their cars.
It is, above all, the state of development. A bewil-

IT MEANS
THAT THE
SIX DAY
WAR

HAS BEEN

GOING ON FOR
38 YEARS
NOW!

www.drybonesproject.com

And insofar as intelligent design strongly implies a
religion-based identity to the Designer, it also fails
the test of keeping such instruction out of public
schools.
In the final analysis, it is simply the old creationist
wine in new bottles. Those who believe in the sepa-
ration of church and state should be extremely wary
of allowing it to get a foothold in our schools. ❑

and direct left turns are allowed only in rare
dering web of driveways from strip malls
instances. Orchard Lake Road is only two
and other businesses pour traffic incessantly
lanes wide and the middle lane is reserved
onto the roadway, far too close to the stop-
for left turns all along its length.
lights at major intersections. The resulting
People make a big deal of negotiating the
backups can easily stretch for half a mile.
Etoile, that circular road in Paris at the Arch
I challenge anyone to find traffic signage
of Triumph. That is child's play compared to
and visual clutter more confusing than what
Orchard Lake Road.
greets northbound drivers as they approach .
The only thing I can really compare it to
12 Mile across the 1-696 overpass. The stop- GEORGE
is the one-way, east-west streets in midtown
lights appear to be right on top of each other. CANTOR
Manhattan. But anyone who tries to drive
Someone unfamiliar with the intersection,
Columnist
across midtown Manhattan deserves what he
quite literally, does not know where to look
gets.
first.
I keep hearing that this new system of round-
Or consider the joys of turning onto
abouts at 14 Mile Road and Maple Road will allevi-
Pontiac Trail during the evening rush. The
ate some of this congestion. Sure it will. I'll believe
left turn lane is blocked solid. Anyone
that when I see it.
coming south on Orchard Lake Road and
But even that would do little to improve the vi§u
toNing with the idea of making a left turn
al
degradation of this road. It's hard to imagine the
from that lane can forget about it.
orchards that once were fruitful here and gave the
And those who live in the condos near Lone Pine
area its name.
Road find they have no room to get into the lane so
I know that in the greater suburban picture, the
they can make their final turn home. There is no
problems associated with this road don't amount to
end of hand gestures and hurt feelings.
a hill of beans. But for those who live anywhere
These are not unavoidable mistakes, acts beyond
near it, I quote from the cinema classic, The Naked
human control. This is just dumb decision making.
Gun:
You'll find this sort of development on stretches
It's our hill and our beans. ❑
of Telegraph Road and Woodward Avenue. But
those roads are three or more lanes in each direction

REA LITY
CH ECE

George Cantor's e-mail address is
gcantor@thejewishnews.com .

6/16

2005

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