To the Point

Intelligent Design vs. Evolution

While more than 100 years of experimentation and observation have convinced mainstream scientists that evolution is a proven theory, many people still resist the notion that complex organisms could have developed over millions of years by trial and error. "Intelligent design" proposes that there must have been some intervention. The US Supreme Court has outlawed teaching Creationism as an alternative in public schools, because it's religion, not science. Asked about Darwin's theory of evolution, President Bush said, "Both sides ought to be properly taught." The question is both sides of what? Is intelligent design science or religious creationism by another name? What about politics? What are local school boards to do? Making News: Bush Hanging Loose As Iraqis Barely Hit Constitution Deadline Making News: Bush Hanging Loose as Iraqis Barely Hit Constitution Deadline President Bush is interrupting his vacation to drum up support for the war in Iraq. In Idaho, where he-ll address the National Guard tomorrow, he voiced optimism about Iraqis and their new constitution. -They want to have a free society... In other words, democracy is unfolding.- Ashraf Khalil is in Baghdad, following the development of Iraq-s constitution for the Los Angeles Times Reporter-s Notebook: The Truth about the Epidemic of Fear Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Generations later, fear has become a staple of American life, fostered by news reports, politicians and sales campaigns. That-s the thesis of the new book False Alarm, which says fear has consequences for human health as well as public policy. The author, Marc Siegel is a practicing internist, journalist and associate professor at NYU.