Science and Ideology

I covered Reagan's presidency today in class.

Part of my lecture covered the challenge Star Wars posed to the Soviet Union. The USSR's overmatched scientific community, shackled by ideology, could not compete with the science of a free society. This necessitated a brief exploration of Lysenkoism.

Driving to work this morning, I was mentally rehearsing my class activities and listening to NPR. NPR did a brief spot on the school board hearings in Kansas. A sudden flash hit me: Intelligent Design is American Lysenkoism!

Just as the Soviets denied the genetic basis of evolution - and many other scientfic theories -because it conflicted with their interpretation of the holy scriptures of Marx and Lenin, many Christians deny evolution entirely because it conflicts with their interpretation of holy scripture.

A school board member said something to the effect that the hearings were necessary so that the public could be exposed to the fact that scientists were covering up the "utter refutation" of Darwin.

It's time for a show trial, boys! Too bad Gould is dead. He'd make a great televised confession.