ブッシュ、Intelligent Designに肩入れ

ブッシュ大統領、進化論に異議　「別の考えも教えよ」 (共同 2005/08/04)

　ブッシュ米大統領が、進化論に異を唱えるキリスト教右派の主張に同意し、公立学校の授業で進化論以外の考えも示すべきだと発言、波紋を広げている。

　大統領は１日に行われたテキサス州の地元紙とのインタビューで、聖書を厳格に解釈するキリスト教右派が熱心に説いている「インテリジェント・デザイン（ＩＤ）」に関する見解を聞かれた。

　人間の複雑な細胞の構造は進化論だけでは説明できず、「高度な理知」の手が入ることにより初めて完成するというのがＩＤの骨格。一部の学者は支持しているが、「科学の衣をまとった信仰だ」との批判が大勢だ。

　大統領は、学校のカリキュラムは連邦政府が決めることではないと述べる一方、「生徒たちは異なった考えに触れるべきかという問いの答えはイエスだ」と、公立学校でのＩＤ教育を全面的に支持する考えを示した。

　キリスト教右派の指導者、ボーアー氏は「ＩＤは大統領のお墨付きをもらった」と大歓迎。これに対し、全米政教分離連合などの市民権団体が「大統領としてあまりにも無責任な発言」と強く非難し、宗教と公教育をめぐり全米を二分する議論は激しさを増している。（共同）

Web Exclusive | Nation-Politics
Fanning the Controversy Over 'Intelligent Design'
By putting 'intelligent design' on a par with evolutionary theory, President Bush goes further than any president has since Ronald Reagan advocated teaching creationism
By MATTHEW COOPER/WASHINGTON
Posted Wednesday, Aug. 03, 2005 - TIME

A light-hearted White House conversation with representatives of Texas newspapers may have opened a new controversy for President George W. Bush. The President laughed when Knight-Ridder’s Ron Hutcheson asked for Mr. Bush’s "personal views" about the theory of "intelligent design", which religious activists advocate should be taught in U.S. schools as an alternative to theories of evolution. After joking that the reporter was "doing a fine job of dragging me back to the past," to his days as governor of Texas, Bush said: "Then, I said that, first of all, that decision should be made to local school districts, but I felt like both sides ought to be properly taught...”

“Both sides ought to be properly taught?” asked Hutcheson.

“Yes,” Bush answered, “so people can understand what the debate is about."

Hutcheson followed up: "So the answer accepts the validity of ‘intelligent design' as an alternative to evolution?" Bush replied, "I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought, and I'm not suggesting — you're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes."

Hutcheson tried one more time: “So we've got to give these groups—” But the president cut him off: “Very interesting question, Hutch,” which provoked laughter.

Despite the jocular tone of the exchange, Bush’s comments could have immense fallout. The president has gone farther in questioning the widely-taught theories of evolution and natural selection than any president since Ronald Reagan, who advocated teaching creationism in public schools along side evolution. “Intelligent design” is not pure creationism. Its proponents tend not to believe, for instance, the Biblical claim that the Earth is less than 6,000 years old. But they do suggest that the complex array of species on Earth could not have evolved on the basis of natural selection, and instead suggest the it reflects the hand of a hidden designer, most likely God — although some have suggested maybe aliens are a possibility.

Either way, they've found a powerful champion in the President of the United States who has gone beyond advocating local control to say that school children "ought to be exposed" to a theory that critics describe as being tantamount to religion.