Law, Darwinism, and Public Education: The Establishment Clause and the Challenge of Intelligent Design [Paperback]

Francis J. Beckwith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003

In 1987, in Edwards v. Aguillard, the United States Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional a Louisiana statute requiring the state's public schools to teach creationism if evolution is taught and to teach evolution if creationism is taught. It was a serious blow to creationism in public schools, but a new movement since then has kept the debate alive. That new movement is 'Intelligent Design.' Should Intelligent Design be taught in schools? In Law, Darwinism, & Public Education, Francis J. Beckwith asks whether teaching 'ID' in public schools would be constitutional, in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Edwards v. Aguillard. At that time, the Court ruled that teaching creationism violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Beckwith examines the Intelligent Design theory and the Edwards case to find out whether teaching ID would suffer the same fate if brought before the court.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Francis Beckwith's judicious, important book deserves a wide audience. (National Review )

I am not persuaded by the arguments for intelligent design theory as an alternative to Darwinian biology. But I am persuaded by Beckwith's book that introducing such arguments into public school science classes would not be unconstitutional. He shows how allowing students to study the debate between intelligent design explanations and scientific naturalism could promote the freedom of thought favored by the American constitutional framers. (Arnhart, Larry )

Beckwith's book is not only comprehensive and up-to-date, but it clearly explains both sides of the debate over how the origins issue should be presented in public schools. It should be required reading for anyone who makes science education policy. (David DeWolf )

Beckwith's book should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the fundamental legal issues in the 'creation versus evolution' debate. (Robert Kaita )

Beckwith makes a compelling case that Intelligent Design is not the same as animal creationism. Beckwith persuasively argues that presentation of Intelligent Design in public schools would not impermissibly 'establish' religion. (The Harvard Law Review )

Frank Beckwith's gift for restating difficult legal problems in straightforward and understandable terms will prove deeply influential as the debate over intelligent design shifts to the courts. (William A. Dembski )

Suffice it to say that [Beckwith's] case is extremely thorough and abundantly documented (although not intimidating to readers lacking extensive knowledge in this area). Law, Darwinism, and Public Education is both a winsome defense of ID as legitimate science and a practical manual for writing and defending laws for the introduction of ID into public school curricula. When the history of the ID movement is written, this book may be esteemed as one of ID's most important and decisive strategic assets. But whatever its historical fate, it is an appropriate text for courses in public policy, apologetics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of science. All those interested in ID should put it at the top of their 'must-read' list. (Philosophia Christi )

About the Author

Francis J. Beckwith is currently a James Madison Fellow in Constitutional Studies & Political Thought, Princeton University. He is also a fellow at the Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle and a research fellow at the Newport Institute for Ethics, Law, and Public Policy in California. His books include Do the Right Thing (2002), Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life (2000) and The Abortion Controversy 25 Years After Roe v. Wade (1998).

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742514315
• ISBN-13: 978-0742514317
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,342,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor University. During the 2008-2009 I am serving on the faculty of the University of Notre Dame as the Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow in the Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lifeboat for intellectual waters, June 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Law, Darwinism, and Public Education: The Establishment Clause and the Challenge of Intelligent Design (Paperback)

Increasingly school boards are becoming the battle grounds over the debate between advocates of Darwinism-only education and those who'd like students to be exposed to other scientific theories as well. A common claim by the Darwinist-only lobby is that all other theories, especially that of intelligent design, are inherently religious and thus not suitable for science classes. Beckwith's clear and short book dispels this line of argumentation. Beckwith shows why in the best spirit of liberal education, ID can rightfully be included in a science class. Beckwith provides a great background of ID including a captivating summary of the debate in Ohio [2002] over ID and evolution.

This is a must have for anybody who thinks that students are only better educated when they are taught to think critically, and evaluate competing ideas. A quick reading, along with a few marked pages, will easily put you at the forefront of this debate. You'd add a lot to the often confused debates over the legalilty of discussing alternatives to Darwinism. And very likely, your school board, teachers & students will be grateful for the clear, informed rationality you'll gain from this book.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Harvard Law Review for Turning Me On to This Book!, May 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Law, Darwinism, and Public Education: The Establishment Clause and the Challenge of Intelligent Design (Paperback)

I am a LL.M. graduate of Harvard Law School with an academic appointment at a law school at which I teach law and religion. After reading the book note of Beckwith's monograph in my alma mater's law review, and after reading of all the controversy surrounding the book by assorted legal bloggers, I decided to pick up a copy. I was pleasantly surprised by Beckwith's grasp of establishment clause jurisprudence. His judicious walk through the cases is very good.

What makes this book such a gratifying read is that Beckwith is so good at clearly defining what he means and then, in a Socratic fashion, presenting arguments and counter-arguments.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in law and religion

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't Get Any Better Than This, May 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Law, Darwinism, and Public Education: The Establishment Clause and the Challenge of Intelligent Design (Paperback)

The vitriol leveled against this book got me curious about it. I bought it, read it, and was amazed at how wrong the negative critics are. I also discovered that it had been endorsed by an opponent of ID (L. Arnhart, Northern Ill. U.), reviewed positively by a strong anti-creationist in the Journal of Church & State (J. Alston, Texas A & M), and praised in a book note that appeared in the January 2004 issue of the Harvard Law Review. That note resulted in a huge public argument about the Harvard Law Review on the internet that was started by skeptic Chris Mooney, picked-up by blogger Brian Leiter (U. of Texas), and then editorialized by Beckwith's grad assistant Hunter Baker in National Review online. Wow!

For all the hoopla, it's pretty much a law book, but not as boring as you'd think. It's highly footnoted and Beckwith's presentation of the constitutional issues is worth the price of the book.