The fundamental problem in the idea of teaching intelligent design alongside, not in place of, evolution is that the proponents of evolution do not wish to give any leeway to the possibility of alternate explanations
The fundamental problem with teaching any part intelligent design is that there simply is nothing to teach. It is not an alternative, it is simply anti-evolution. It has no scientific principles, it has no tenets, rules or laws to understand and there is no evidence in any physical science that it describes any real process. To teach that "something unknowable" happened at some point in the process is to revert to magic thinking. There is nothing scientific about "We don't know and therefore we cannot know".
What intelligent design proponents would agrue is tha the evolutionary model has some serious gaps and flaws that need to be address
As do all current theories of gravity. As do all current germ theories. As do all current techtonic theories. This is the very definition of SCIENCE.
i.e, gaps in the fossil record for transistional fossils
Pakicetus inachus -> Ambulocetus natans -> Indocetus ramani -> Dorudon -> Basilosaurus -> Modern Whales.
This is the transitional family from a land creature that looked like a wolf to a whale. Pakicetus was a preditory land animal. Basilosaurus was a whale-like animal with legs. This is one of the most complete fossil records thus discovered.
Go here for horse evolution from Hyracotherium (an animal the size of a dog) to a modern horse:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/vertpaleo/fhc/fhc.htm
Bird to Dino possible transitions (not linear):
Archaeopteryx, ornithomimosaurs, therizinosaurs, and oviraptorosaurs
the lack of evidence of macroevolution evolution taking place in the modern era
Which is when? The 3000 years since Noah? The last 2My? Note that the words "macroevolution" and "microevolution" are nonsensical. There is no stopping mechanism that prevents tiny steps from accumulating into large steps. First you complain about no transitionals, then you limit them to the "modern era".
the failure to reproduce the spark of life in controlled laboratory conditions which is problematic to the historic pre-biotic conditions in which life supposedly began
So because science has not created the difficult-to-fully-document conditions of a billion years ago on a scale of our planet, they've failed?
the complexity of life and DNA, etc). Until there are satisfactory explanations that would conform to the evolution model, then there should be room for alternate models.
All sorts of things are complex. That doesn't make them "designed". Lots of things aren't complex and are. If I find a brick in a pile of rocks, I'd assume the brick (simple and linear) was designed while the rocks (complex) are not. I'd also know that some rocks form right angles due to crystillization types, especially in crystals and carbon. None of this means I need to invent elves to carve square rocks out of round ones.
I do have a question about evolutionary science. In order for a theory to be valid, it should be tested. But evolution is based on historical evidence, is it not?
Modern experiments using bacteria, insects and plants. Modern medicine = evolution.
Therefore how do you apply the scientific method to history?
You establish theories based on the evidence in one line and see if it applies to others.
Except for microevolution, which occurs within the species, there has been no success in producing one species from another species. i.e. macroevolution.
Some other alternate theories that you could teach in school:
Palmistry instead of Examination Medicine
Astology instead of Astronomy
Humour Medicine instead of Germ Theory
Homeopathy instead of Chemistry
Lamarkism instead of Evolution
Flat-Earth theory instead of Plate Techtonics
Earth Expansion theory instead of Plate Techtonics
Raelean alien seeding versus Evolution
Velikovskian Catastrophism versus Astronomy
Statism instead of... well anything. Statisim argues that nothing ever changes.
Possession instead of Psychology
Scientology instead of Medicine, Psychology and Astronomy
And more. Pick your alternative.
