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Essay / Science For the Future - 1182
Is the theory of evolution too risky to teach to children, or is it an essential part of science education? The article “Why Evolution Should Be Taught in Public Schools” by Laura H. Kahn addresses this debate. Its title is simple, giving us a direct overview of the topic the article will focus on, attracting readers with its simplicity. She brings a new perspective to the tired argument of evolutionism versus creationism, raising new ideas about how keeping students ignorant of the science of evolution could potentially affect studies of prevention of diseases in the future. She targets the one-sided religious society that is in favor of ending the teaching of evolution in hopes that they can see this discussion from a new perspective, instead of strictly following what has been taught to them. taught in the Bible. Her target audience, creationists, may consider her arguments because the future health of society is what she says is at risk, and that affects everyone, not just supporters of evolution. Kahn, argues that educating America's future on the theory of evolution will give them the tools to develop new scientific knowledge and provide treatments for viruses and other deadly microbes. Without a basic understanding of evolutionary theory, she says, the next generation of scientists and doctors won't fully understand how these microbes can grow and change, which is instrumental in performing experiments with them. Kahn states that a good science education includes learning about evolutionary theories. His testimonies, including many examples of things that happened in the past, support his view in favor of teaching evolution in public schools. This example... in the middle of the article... is not effective in supporting his main point, because it is an unwise assumption. Kahn highlights the fact that failing to teach the future generation key scientific theories, such as the theory of evolution, can have disastrous consequences for the future of society. Learning how organisms grow and change is crucial for creating new technologies for studying disease prevention and treatment. Through compelling examples, Kahn argues his point effectively and adds a new argument that is not typical in the debate between creationism and evolution. Her ideas are supported by factual evidence and support the main idea of the article, making what she says worthy of contemplation. Works Cited Kahn, Laura. "'Why evolution should be taught in public schools'". http://thebulletin.org/. Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. November 12, 2007. the web. February 26 2014.