Spring Break
Visiting MIT professor discusses the cosmos
Talk covers the theory of the creation of the universe and the controversy surrounding it
Amanda Robbins
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: News
"In a 1931 lecture, a Catholic priest, Georges Lemaitre (speaking about the cosmic evolution) said, 'I think that everyone who believes in a supreme being would be glad to see such a congruence between science and religion,'" Kaiser said. "He eventually took this out of the lecture before it was published."
But this controversy did not start in 1931. The actual debate started in the time of Aristotle, Kaiser said.
The heated debate is one of the reasons cosmic evolution is not discussed as much as biological evolution, Kaiser said.
"It has not been a central part of high school," Kaiser said. "Biological evolution is central to high school curriculum and therefore is discussed more."
The debate grew even larger when cosmic evolution was being taught in schools as fact and not a theory, Kaiser said.
"Jon W. Bacon, a Kansas state board of education representative, said I was not there for the Big Bang and neither were the cosmologists. Based on that, whatever explanation they may arrive at is a theory and should be taught that way," Kaiser said.
When cosmic evolution was changed to being seen as a theory, changes in curriculum around the world began to change, Kaiser said.
"The government had to change all the education Web sites and NASA documents to say theory and not fact," Keiser said.
The debate is still lively today.
"It was great," said Bob Smith, a professor of oceanography. "I never realized that teaching the Big Bang theory was so controversial. It is interesting how some religions support the Big Bang theory and others take it as a contradiction to their fundamental elements."
"I never realized the debate between God and science was so old that it related back to Einstein and Newton," said Katrina Hay, a doctoral student in physics.
But this controversy did not start in 1931. The actual debate started in the time of Aristotle, Kaiser said.
The heated debate is one of the reasons cosmic evolution is not discussed as much as biological evolution, Kaiser said.
"It has not been a central part of high school," Kaiser said. "Biological evolution is central to high school curriculum and therefore is discussed more."
The debate grew even larger when cosmic evolution was being taught in schools as fact and not a theory, Kaiser said.
"Jon W. Bacon, a Kansas state board of education representative, said I was not there for the Big Bang and neither were the cosmologists. Based on that, whatever explanation they may arrive at is a theory and should be taught that way," Kaiser said.
When cosmic evolution was changed to being seen as a theory, changes in curriculum around the world began to change, Kaiser said.
"The government had to change all the education Web sites and NASA documents to say theory and not fact," Keiser said.
The debate is still lively today.
"It was great," said Bob Smith, a professor of oceanography. "I never realized that teaching the Big Bang theory was so controversial. It is interesting how some religions support the Big Bang theory and others take it as a contradiction to their fundamental elements."
"I never realized the debate between God and science was so old that it related back to Einstein and Newton," said Katrina Hay, a doctoral student in physics.
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