You thought Texas was bad?

[regexcellent]

Because that profoundly important thing (which I haven't found even slightly important actually) is already taught in biology. If you were actually smarter than a chimpanzee you would know that there is actually a lot more to evolution than "hey there was this guy called Charles Darwin and he sailed around the world on a ship called Beagle and there's this city in Australia named after him oh and natural selection." Darwin wrote a whole ****ing book on it.

[kentonio]

Because that profoundly important thing (which I haven't found even slightly important actually)

Jesus christ man, it's shaped the course of scientific development, philosophical thought, religion, secularism, and pretty much everything else it's touched, and you haven't found that 'even slightly important actually'?!

[giblets]

Because that profoundly important thing (which I haven't found even slightly important actually) is already taught in biology. If you were actually smarter than a chimpanzee you would know that there is actually a lot more to evolution than "hey there was this guy called Charles Darwin and he sailed around the world on a ship called Beagle and there's this city in Australia named after him oh and natural selection." Darwin wrote a whole ****ing book on it.

The theory of evolution actually is historically important and evolution itself is also historically important.

[regexcellent]

Jesus christ man, it's shaped the course of scientific development, philosophical thought, religion, secularism, and pretty much everything else it's touched, and you haven't found that 'even slightly important actually'?!

I am capable of performing my job as a network admin just as well without the knowledge of evolution as with.

[kentonio]

I am capable of performing my job as a network admin just as well without the knowledge of evolution as with.

Given the influence of evolutionary thinking on computer programming, there's actually quite a lot of humour right there.

[giblets]

I am capable of performing my job as a network admin just as well without the knowledge of evolution as with.

You could do your job if history was never even taught in schools. You don't really need to know who Abraham Lincoln was to be a network admin.

[notyoueither]

Evolution was well outside the scope of any high school or college history class I have ever taken. It is something that is covered in biology. Teaching it in history would be a very strange change of topic and also completely redundant.

Incidentally, I have yet to experience anything thus far in my life where knowledge of evolution has been of actual material use to me. I suspect this is true for most people, especially those who refuse to learn it.

No Scopes Monkey Trial in your high school curriculum?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I remember the Scopes trial in my high school, but I don't recall much discussion outside of that context involving Darwin or evolution (then again, it was assumed we already knew about it).

[regexcellent]

Given the influence of evolutionary thinking on computer programming, there's actually quite a lot of humour right there.

Which is funny because I've never needed my knowledge of genetic algorithms either as a network admin. Nor would an understanding of evolution be necessary to grasp genetic algorithms.

[Ben Kenobi]

You mean apart from the bit where it explains the evolution of every living creature on the planet since life began?

Oooh, so we have stone tablets from this period? Cool.

History for me begins with Herodotus - it has to be recorded, it has to be extant and it has to be written, otherwise, it ain't history. I can talk about Thor bringing Lightning to monkeys who learned how to make fire, and Zeus shagging swans, and meteors striking the earth and bacteria becoming people, but that's myth. I don't get to teach myth.

[kentonio]

Oooh, so we have stone tablets from this period? Cool.

History for me begins with Herodotus - it has to be recorded, it has to be extant and it has to be written, otherwise, it ain't history. I can talk about Thor bringing Lightning to monkeys who learned how to make fire, and Zeus shagging swans, and meteors striking the earth and bacteria becoming people, but that's myth. I don't get to teach myth.

If you think evolution is myth, you have no business being within 1000 miles of children, let alone teaching them. Shame on you.

[Elok]

There's something wrong with a history textbook that doesn't at least mention Darwin's discovery and its various, long-lasting and far-reaching repercussions.

[notyoueither]

I remember the Scopes trial in my high school, but I don't recall much discussion outside of that context involving Darwin or evolution (then again, it was assumed we already knew about it).

Yeah, I'd be surprised if evolution were not covered in some area of school prior to high school.

High school may get into history in depth enough that discussions of major thinkers and thoughts may be covered, but I suppose that depends on where you are. Scopes is just one example where evolution is part of the discussion (or assumed for the discussion). We covered that in Canadian class-rooms. I'd be surprised if the Euros did not.

[Ben Kenobi]

The theory of evolution actually is historically important and evolution itself is also historically important.

You mean Darwinian natural selection?

So's Lamarckism.

Sure, it's relevant to history of science courses that talk about the development of the sciences, but outside of that? Not really. Now Galton was very influential at the turn of the century, and his work had serious social concerns. I do teach Galton and I do teach Malthus.

[Ben Kenobi]

If you think evolution is myth, you have no business being within 1000 miles of children, let alone teaching them. Shame on you.

The Greeks talked about clay forming Gods. I don't see how that's not myth. Maybe your school permits it but mine doesn't.