See:
<http://pewresearch.org/sciencequiz/>http://pewresearch.org/sciencequiz/
This was administered to 1,005 randomly sampled adults. The results
are pathetic.
I'll bet it wouldn't be much better in Japan. Based on the technical
knowledge required to understand their mass media articles, I would
say the education gap between us and them is largely a myth.
This was linked to from an article about the differences of opinion
between scientists and the general public regarding social issues,
science funding, liberal versus conservative politics, global warming
and other hot button issues. See:
Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media
<http://people-press.org/report/528/>http://people-press.org/report/528/
These results do not surprise me. I am disappointed to see how many
scientists are unsure of evolution. My guess is the respondents
self-identified as "scientists" (that is people put themselves in
this category) and I wouldn't. Perhaps that is a "no true Scotsman
logical fallacy.
The public's attitude toward science is important to cold fusion. It
is a depressing subject. As I see it, and as I think most scientists
see it, the public is a collection of ingrates. Scientists and
engineers keep inventing wonderful things that revolutionize life,
such as electricity, airplanes, antibiotics, computers, the Internet.
The public goes nuts at first and praises the inventors to the sky.
Edison used to be a hero and one of the most widely known Americans.
Then a generation later -- or more like a year later -- the public
forgets how gratified it was; takes the discovery for granted; and
grouses about how expensive research is and how scientists have done
nothing for us lately.
- Jed
