MIAMI/EWORLDWIRE/May 9, 2005 --- Applying a spiritual notion such as intelligent design better known as "God" to the physical reality is useless from a scientific point of view. God belongs to our spiritual world. We must keep our physical and spiritual realities apart, or we will loose our footing in reality.So says Dr. Ulf Erlingsson, author of "Atlantis from a Geographer's Perspective: Mapping the Fairy Land" (which has now also come out in Japanese on Hara Shobo). He makes his case for the separation of science and religion on page 89 in his book, in these words:
'If you ask Christian believers what exactly "God" is, they might reply, "I don't know". Those same people might tell you that "God created the world", since many in America still believe in the creation. Now, to show you what my point is, combine those two statements and you will get: "I don't know who or what created the world". Evidently a true statement, but it hardly makes us any wiser, does it?
'This is why it is pointless to use poorly defined words in an argument or a scientific hypothesis: We cannot build on it. Since we cannot evaluate it, the argument has no value; it is neither true nor false in logical terms. [...] Statements that are neither true nor false are logically rather useless.'
Thus, says Dr. Erlingsson, to include intelligent design in the science curriculum is to waste the valuable time of our children. The question is not if it is right or wrong--it is neither--the question is if we have the luxury of wasting the science hours of our children with it, when the rest of the world is studying real science, trying hard to get ahead of us economically. That is the choice we face, says Dr. Erlingsson, and continues, "Atlantis is the tale of an empire destroyed by hubris, defeated when it believed nothing could threaten it. Let us not make that mistake."
As regards the deciphering of the Atlantis tale, Dr. Erlingsson will present a paper at the scientific conference "Atlantis 2005," on the Greek island of Milos, July 11-13.
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