To begin, we would like to clarify Bill Nye’s statement regarding creationism, as the author seems to have misunderstood his intentions. Nye was referring to Young Earth Creationism (YEC), an idea that stems from Biblical literalism: that the Earth is only 6,000 years old and that a creator formed all life in its present form. It is YEC that is an affront to evolution because it touts the belief that all life is in its original form, making it inherently incompatible with evolution and mainstream science.
Secondly, we would like to express our opinions regarding creationism as a substitute for science, as sanctioned by the author. Nye is quoted in the article as stating that we as a country need scientifically literate voters, because having “a portion of the population that doesn’t believe in [evolution]…holds everybody back.” The author then asks, “From what, exactly?”
That answer is from progress. It is true that we do not know the answer to all questions, but when we fill our ignorance with “God-did-it,” we stop looking for an answer.
The beauty of science, however, is that it is always searching for a solution. We should never teach our children that knowledge is out of their reach, or not worth searching for. It might be true that a creator lit the spark of existence, but we can’t know for sure. Does that mean we should stop expanding our knowledge and searching for an answer? Of course not!
As Richard Dawkins once said, “Science flings open the narrow window through which we are accustomed to viewing the spectrum of possibilities. We are liberated by calculation and reason to visit regions of possibility that had once seemed out of bounds or inhabited by dragons.”
Emily Farnsworth and David Kondner are juniors.