Monthly Archives: March 2011

Intelligent Design: Claims and Counter-claims

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Intelligent Design and Creationism seem to be in the news every few months. This is one debate worth considering given the struggle to know how humans came to be. Are we here because of a higher power or did we evolve over millions of years?

1. Read this 2005 article about the claims and rebuttals to intelligent design.  What is intelligent design? What knowledge claims are made? What rebuttal, or counter-claims are given?

2. Learn more about these two very different perspectives. Visit this intelligent design web site http://www.intelligentdesign.org/ and explain the strengths and weaknesses of their claim.

3. Visit the National Center for Science Education web site http://ncse.com/creationism and explain the strengths and weaknesses of their claim.

4. In your knowledge issue question be sure to include reference to two ways of knowing.

5. Comment on one of your classmate’s responses

The Study of History

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Man is the Measure by Reuben Abel is a seminal work about knowledge issues related to the shaping of history. This is required reading for every Theory of Knowledge class and serious academics will undoubtedly appreciate the ideas Abel considers. In this succinct summary of the main ideas, Abel helps us to see history from a variety of perspectives and interpretations.

Click on this link The Study of History Abel

Please read and write a comment/question.

Lies My Teacher Told Me

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View excerpts from James Lowen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me and provide a comment for your classmates to view and discuss.

Lies my Teacher told me excerpts

The problem of history books containing errors and outright lies is a real problem. Check this link to read about the problem Virginia students are dealing with in their history book.

After reading both articles, explain the lies teachers tell and what you can do to improve the reliability of your knowledge of history.