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.
"Francis Beckwith's judicious, important book deserves a wide audience." - National Review
"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
"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
