PUTTING PALEY IN HIS PLACE: HISTORY AS AN ALLY IN THE TEACHING OF EVOLUTION

Interdisciplinary studies permit students and teachers to address the philosophical and cultural issues that surround evolutionary science, while making clear distinctions between those issues and the science itself. The history of the development of the idea of evolution, up to and through Darwin to the present day, is not only a rewarding study in its own right, but demonstrates the revolutionarily unifying role of evolutionary theory and the open-ended nature of scientific investigation. It also provides a proper background and context for pre-Darwinian ideas, such as Paley's intelligent design (Natural Theology). Contemporary controversies in evolutionary science, accessible to students after building a strong foundation in natural selection and genetics, are important to introduce to demonstrate the vibrancy and health of the science. These scientific controversies provide a striking contrast to the political/cultural/religious campaigns targeting evolution, such as the Discovery Institute's "teach the controversy" approach, that currently plague State and local school boards. Ensuring that students become more knowledgeable about evolutionary science and its cultural context is a long term investment necessary for the production of a new generation of parents, teachers and school board members who understand evolution's importance to the study of biology and will work to ensure its continued study.