I have been teaching a course called "Origin and Evolution of the Earth"
to nonscience majors for the past 28 years, and lately I have come to
share many of the same thoughts that Mano Singham expresses. We frequently
tell our students that a distinguishing characteristic of science is its
reliance on rational interpretation of empirical evidence, rather than on
appeal to authority, as the pathway to truth. How ironic, then, that we
expect students to accept on authority the conclusions that we or the
textbook present.

I cannot agree, however, that creationist students who question the
authority of science are more likely than others to "question authority
elsewhere," or to "shake up the world and make it a better place." I have
encountered many Dougs and Jamals, and I am fairly confident that their
rejection of scientific conclusions did not stem from independent thinking
on their parts, but rather from their prior acceptance of what other
authority figures--pastor, Bible study leader, or parents, perhaps--had
"brainwashed" them into believing.

Charles K. Scharnberger
Millersville University
Millersville, Pennsylvania

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