Science: "just one view of the world, just another story"

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is considering legislation now that has this as its first paragraph:

Teachers, principals, and other school administrators are encouraged to create and foster an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories being studied.

Of course this is not about creating a generation of super-thinkers, but rather explicitly about getting kids to challenge topics "including but not limited to the study of evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning." (GRE question: which of those things isn't like the rest?) The NYT has a piece on the topic this morning, including a link to the bill. The title of this post is, in fact, from a quote in the article by Lawrence Krauss of Arizona State:

“Wherever there is a battle over evolution now,” he said, “there is a secondary battle to diminish other hot-button issues like Big Bang and, increasingly, climate change. It is all about casting doubt on the veracity of science — to say it is just one view of the world, just another story, no better or more valid than fundamentalism.”

Two points. First, let's just cut to the chase and give the big answer about the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories in general. On the downside:


But also the upside:


Second, there's one theory that really needs extensive testing by young people, lol theory:

The theory that the internet phrase lol,meaning "laugh out loud", can be placed at any part in any sentence and make said sentence lose all credibilty and seriousness.

ex 1
Doc: We need to operate on your colon lol, you have cancer.

ex 2
Jesus: Take this all of you and eat it, it is my body, lol.

ex 3
Me: Will you marry me? Lol.

And yes, lol theory was the February 15, 2009 Urban Word of the Day. Get to work young people!

Images from here and here.