Intelligent Design network, inc.
 P.O. Box 14702, Shawnee Mission,  Kansas 66285-4702
(913) 268-0852;   (913)-268-0852 (fax);   IDnet@att.net
www.IntelligentDesignnetwork.org
 

 February 8, 2001

 IDnet PROPOSAL TO KEEP NATURALISM OUT OF SCIENCE STANDARDS
 ENDORSED BY NUMEROUS
 SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS, PHILOSOPHERS AND LAWYERS

Shawnee Mission KS.  Intelligent Design network, inc. announced today that
over 104 Scientists, Educators, Philosophers, Lawyers and others had
endorsed its proposal to keep Naturalism out of science standards to be
considered by the Kansas State Board of Education on February 13.

An IDnet letter delivered to the Kansas Board certifies receipt of 58
endorsements from persons holding doctoral degrees - 15 in the fields of
biological sciences (biology, biochemistry, molecular biology,
neurobiology, microbiology, plant pathology and zoology), eight in medicine, eight in
law, six in chemistry, five in physics, 4 in philosophy, two in mathematics,
two in education, including science education, two in psychology, one each in
astronomy, oceanography, history of science and engineering, and two in
other fields.  Other endorsements were issued by 14 holding terminal
master' s degrees and  27 holding terminal bachelor's degrees in a wide range of
fields, including four in geology and earth sciences.

"Most of the endorsements have come from throughout the U.S.," said John
Calvert, an IDnet Managing Director. "A few others have come from Canada,
the United Kingdom and Germany, indicating the global perspective of the
issue."

"We are quite pleased with the response by the science community," said
Jody Sjogren, also an IDnet Managing Director.  "The endorsers include 34
college level  professors and teachers as well as nine research scientists, eight
physicians and health care professionals, six practicing attorneys, nine
K-12 teachers and three school board members."

The IDnet letter urges the Kansas State Board to reject an effort by the
Science Writing Committee to insert Naturalism into Kansas Science
Standards.  "Naturalism is a doctrine or belief that all phenomena result
only from natural causes and that design inferences are invalid," said
William S. Harris, PhD., the third IDnet Managing Director.  Harris
claims:
"The definition of science proposed by the Science Committee just does not
work in origins science.  Our proposals explain in great detail the many
logical, scientific, legal and cultural problems and consequences of
teaching only a naturalistic account of origins to Kansas children.
However,  the Committee has avoided a discussion of these issues by
improperly labeling the proposals as non-scientific simply because they
don't yield naturalistic explanations.  Hopefully the Board will give
careful consideration to the significant body of credentialed scientists
who disagree with the Committee's improperly narrow definition of science.  If
not, Kansas schools will lead our children to believe only a naturalistic
account of their origin."

The IDnet letter may be found at its web site at:

  http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Feb8letterKSBE.htm
 

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 Intelligent Design network, inc. is a member based nonprofit organization.
IDnet promotes evidence-based science education with regard to the origin
of the universe and of life and its diversity.  It also seeks to increase
public awareness of the scientific evidence of intelligent design in the
universe and living systems.

 Intelligent Design is a scientific theory that intelligent causes are
responsible for the origin of the universe and of life and its diversity.
It holds that design is empirically detectable in nature, and particularly in
living systems. Intelligent Design is an intellectual movement that
includes a scientific research program for investigating intelligent causes and
that challenges naturalistic explanations of origins which currently drive
science education and research.