what if the gallup poll question had been "do you believe in the theory of gravity"? what you think the responses would have been?
Matt ----- Original Message ---- From: William Silvert <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 4:58:35 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Isaac Asimov quote/was Gallup poll on evolution I share the feeeling of Wendee and other respondents that "believe" is not an appropriate word. The problem is that we haven't really come up wth alternatives that reflect the inherent skepticism of science but that are also meaningful to the general public. Evolution is a credible theory, well-supported by evidence, etc., but none of these phrases have much bite. After all, there is still a lot of common reference to "scientific proof", and any attempts to revise our language to conform to the way that scientists think (or should think) will simply weaken our case and be jumped on by those who argue that the only thngs we really know are that g*d exists, that everything in the bible/koran/etc. is absolutely true, and that theirs is the only true faith. Knowledge is power, ain't it? Bill Silvert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wendee Holtcamp" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 6:17 PM Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Isaac Asimov quote/was Gallup poll on evolution > That is frightening. Wonder why they chose to use "believe in" for this > poll... > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Inouye > Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 11:35 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Gallup poll on evolution > > http://www.gallup.com/poll/114544/Darwin-Birthday-Believe-Evolution.aspx > > PRINCETON, NJ -- On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles > Darwin's birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans > say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say > they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don't have an > opinion either way. These attitudes are strongly related to education > and, to an even greater degree, religiosity. >
