The Scopes Trial

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the famous Scopes Trial that took place almost 80 years ago, which debated whether the theory of evolution should be taught in the classroom. The paper discusses how the verdict of the trial was considered a big victory for science and reasoning and how it later got interpreted as the victory of free speech against oppression. The paper relates this trial to the current way of thinking called 'intelligent design'.

From the Paper:

"The trial did create an impression for a while but disbelief in Darwinism did not disappear completely and time and again it started showing its face in public sphere in different modes. Let's not forget the Edward J. Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning book 'Summer of Gods' in which he made his anti-Darwinism ideas loud and clear. Also Church kept on raising its voice in different ways against Darwin and his evolution theory. A large number of American people kept on subscribing to literal interpretation of Bible while being skeptical of the beliefs of Darwin. The movement that was curbed temporarily by the trial kept on gaining force with the passage of time and now the religious conservatism can be seen on the rise again. In the decade of 70s the emergence of Reagan in the presidential office got the agenda of religious beliefs and conservatism back on the forefront."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gaffney Jr., Edward (July 12, 1998). Trial of the Century: How the Scopes Trial Framed the Modern Debate over Science and Religion. Los Angeles Times, Retrieved October 23, 2006, from http://www.arn.org/larson/latimes071298.htm

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• Essay # 15551 : "The Scopes Trial of 1925"
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• Term Paper # 118835 : "The Scopes Monkey Trial"

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