Post #242,560
1/26/06 12:49:45 PM
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From the "Run! Get Out While You Can!" Department
[link|http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4648598.stm|http://news.bbc.co.u.../tech/4648598.stm]
More than half the British population does not accept the theory of evolution, according to a survey.
Furthermore, more than 40% of those questioned believe that creationism or intelligent design should be taught in school science lessons.
The survey was conducted by Ipsos MORI for the BBC's Horizon series.
Its latest programme, A War on Science, looks into the attempt to introduce intelligent design into science classes in the US.
Over 2000 participants took part in the survey, and were asked what best described their view of the origin and development of life:
* 22% chose creationism
* 17% opted for intelligent design
* 48% selected evolution theory
* and the rest did not know.
Intelligent design is the concept that certain features of living things are so complex that their existence is better explained by an "intelligent process" than natural selection.
Education questioned
Andrew Cohen, editor of Horizon, commented: "I think that this poll represents our first introduction to the British public's views on this issue.
"Most people would have expected the public to go for evolution theory, but it seems there are lots of people who appear to believe in an alternative theory for life's origins."
When given a choice of three theories, people were asked which one or ones they would like to see taught in science lessons in British schools:
* 44% said creationism should be included
* 41% intelligent design
* 69% wanted evolution as part of the science curriculum.
Participants over 55 were less likely to choose evolution over other groups.
"This really says something about the role of science education in this country and begs us to question how we are teaching evolutionary theory," Andrew Cohen added.
The findings prompted surprise from the scientific community. Lord Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society, said: "It is surprising that many should still be sceptical of Darwinian evolution. Darwin proposed his theory nearly 150 years ago, and it is now supported by an immense weight of evidence.
"We are, however, fortunate compared to the US in that no major segment of UK religious or cultural life opposes the inclusion of evolution in the school science curriculum."
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Yet. Dark Ages on the march I'd say.
"Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" --Mark Twain
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." --Albert Einstein
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses." --George W. Bush
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Post #242,565
1/26/06 1:11:55 PM
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I really wonder about surveys like these.
While I agree that the results are disconcerting, I wonder if it's due to people just not understanding things (or not thinking about them enough), or giving nonsense answers to a poll-taker that's pissing them off, or due to strongly held beliefs.
What I'd really like to see is a broad survey of general knowledge of adults in several areas:
1) Government and Civics
2) Science and Mathematics
3) Philosophy/Morals
4) History
5) Religion
6) Health and Safety
What do people really know and believe about these topics? If people think that: children are brought by the stork; the Earth is 6000 years old; lottery tickets and pyramid schemes are good investments; smoking and drinking have no consequences; police can do whatever they want in an interrogation as long as they don't beat the suspect; etc.; then do we really want such people determining policy in those areas? No, I don't think so. And misunderstandings about basic things like these should be reduced through educational initiatives (like, I dunno, maybe having less crap on TV?).
Have you ever seen Jay Leno's [link|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywalking_%28The_Tonight_Show%29|Jaywalking] interviews? There are a lot of people out there who don't think to clearly when they're being interviewed (or possibly at any time)....
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #242,671
1/27/06 6:45:38 AM
1/27/06 6:57:50 AM
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Sure you want to know?
Answers to such questions as - Does the Earth revolve around the Sun or vice versa?Probably somewhere in WebLand resides a collection of a large number of really Basic questions and the appalling stats on the Vox Populi. (I have tuned out the results of the above.. vaguely recall that ~40% sorta never heard of the Copernicus and subsequent sagas. I'm sure it was not in the 30's.) (Then, when you quiz 'Christians' about the contents of that Good Book - and the most vehement haven't the foggiest about a lot of the tales - or have them remembered unrecognizably ... can any of this surprise, anymore?) Meher Baba said, Don't Worry. Be Happy.We must reconcile ourselves to enjoying The Fall - the Sequel (\ufffd Pixar); after all - whether comedy or tragedy: the Play's the thing wherein ... Origins of Dumbth? I believe television is going to be the test of the modern world, and that in this new opportunity to see beyond the range of our vision, we shall discover either a new and unbearable disturbance of the general peace, or a saving radiance in the sky, We shall stand or fall by television -- of that I am quite sure. See Edit for source, but add 100 years. sob silently
Edited by Ashton
Jan. 27, 2006, 06:54:01 AM EST
Edited by Ashton
Jan. 27, 2006, 06:57:50 AM EST
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Post #242,685
1/27/06 7:54:59 AM
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He was a visionary. But it should be 1938. ;-)
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Post #242,672
1/27/06 6:46:11 AM
1/27/06 6:46:54 AM
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Dupe
Edited by Ashton
Jan. 27, 2006, 06:46:54 AM EST
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Post #242,771
1/27/06 5:15:35 PM
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I don't.
[link|http://www.milk.com/wall-o-shame/heavy_boots.html|http://www.milk.com/.../heavy_boots.html]
[link|http://www.dhmo.org/|http://www.dhmo.org/]
Are among the items that have convinced me that the average man on the street's understanding of science would probably be improved by a frontal lobotomy.
Cheers,
Ben
I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
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Post #242,777
1/27/06 6:39:03 PM
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The second is clearly a joke, not a lunatic warning
Matthew Greet
Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?
- Mark Renton, Trainspotting.
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Post #242,788
1/27/06 7:26:43 PM
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You'd be amazed at how many DON'T get the joke
I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
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Post #242,569
1/26/06 1:27:56 PM
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I'm having a hard time with this
(besides for the obvious reasons). I have a hard time believing that the average Brit is more butt-stoopud than the average redneck Amerikaner. Peter, warmachine Matt, any explanations? Could the survey be biased?
jb4
"Every Repbulican who wants to defend Bush on [the expansion of Presidential powers], should be forced to say, 'I wouldn't hesitate to see President Hillary Rodham Clinton have the same authority'."
&mdash an unidentified letter writer to Newsweek on the expansion of executive powers under the Bush administration
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Post #242,571
1/26/06 1:38:48 PM
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between pikeys, louts and hooligans not many brits left :-)
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #242,673
1/27/06 7:06:57 AM
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So am I.
Simply put, it doesn't square with my experience at all. I'll conduct a survey down the pub - we have a broad spectrum of people propping up the bar on a Friday night, from brickies to logistics managers.
I suspect that the sampling for this survey is a prime contributor to the results.
Perhaps it was done by a confused field worker, who was in [link|http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=birmingham&btnG=Search&ll=33.520556,-86.8025&spn=2.894193,6.943359|Birmingham] and not, as they should have been, in [link|http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=birmingham+uk&btnG=Search&ll=52.482921,-1.893619&spn=0.264282,0.86792|Birmingham].
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
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Post #242,727
1/27/06 12:31:39 PM
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Hey, Box, imric and Ross can throw rocks at the first one!
Birmingham, Alabama tha is.
Alex
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell
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Post #242,608
1/26/06 6:56:17 PM
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It indicates the level of scientific and religious literacy
Consider When given a choice of three descriptions for the development of life on Earth, people were asked which one or ones they would like to see taught in science lessons in British schools:
44% said creationism should be included
41% intelligent design
69% wanted evolution as part of the science curriculum. At least 13% of the surveyed people wanted creationism AND evolution taught in science classes. That's at least 13% who don't know what either means or couldn't make up their mind on the spot. That 31% who don't want evolution taught would suggest a religious segment except church attendance is poor in the UK. Religion barely makes headlines in the UK whereas global warming does. Instead, most of them believe by default, rather than for any hard reason. I suspect most of that 41% asked what intelligent design means and thought it sounded reasonable when told without knowing how baseless it is. To me, this indicates that few care about these things. Dark Ages? More like an intellectual malaise. Now, vivisection and animal experimentation. That's different. Matthew Greet
Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?
- Mark Renton, Trainspotting.
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