33% say evolution did not happen

Religion and Secularism
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And I thought it was closer to half. Guess, I should I be relieved. So then, why do I find no comfort in this?

By Chris Francescani REUTERS Tuesday December 31, 2013 6:46 AM http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2013/12/31/33-say-evolution-did-not-happen.html
… Although this percentage remained steady since 2009, the last time Pew asked the question, there was a growing partisan gap on whether humans evolved. “The gap is coming from the Republicans, where fewer are now saying that humans have evolved over time," said Cary Funk, a Pew senior researcher who conducted the analysis. The poll showed 43 percent of Republicans and 67 percent of Democrats say humans have evolved over time, compared with 54 percent and 64 percent, respectively, four years ago. Among religious groups, white evangelical Protestants topped the list of those rejecting evolution, with 64 percent of those polled saying they believe humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time. ...
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Sad but true but look at the percentage of “not sures” on the chart. That’s a sizable chunk of Americans who seem to not care one way or the other. It would be interesting if a poll could reveal what motivated their uncertainty. e.g. Was it religiously motivated, out of ignorance or apathy. I’m inclined to believe the latter. We need more science classes and fully trained teachers in public education as a start.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/21329204.html
Cap’t Jack

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Sad but true but look at the percentage of "not sures" on the chart. That's a sizable chunk of Americans who seem to not care one way or the other. It would be interesting if a poll could reveal what motivated their uncertainty. e.g. Was it religiously motivated, out of ignorance or apathy. I'm inclined to believe the latter. We need more science classes and fully trained teachers in public education as a start. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/21329204.html Cap't Jack
Yes I totally agree with you VA. It's mostly apathy. Why wouldn't it be? We are science and learning people more or less.(me much less...) Obviously we are focused on these polls and on the concept of evolution itself. But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it! People don't care about evolution..and they shouldn't have to if they don't want to. After learning it in school of course and graduating all the classes with acceptable grades. After that...let them pursue their interests and goals. And obviously your average person can't do anything with the knowledge of evolution.
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Sad but true but look at the percentage of "not sures" on the chart. That's a sizable chunk of Americans who seem to not care one way or the other. It would be interesting if a poll could reveal what motivated their uncertainty. e.g. Was it religiously motivated, out of ignorance or apathy. I'm inclined to believe the latter. We need more science classes and fully trained teachers in public education as a start. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/21329204.html Cap't Jack
Yes I totally agree with you VA. It's mostly apathy. Why wouldn't it be? We are science and learning people more or less.(me much less...) Obviously we are focused on these polls and on the concept of evolution itself. But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it! People don't care about evolution..and they shouldn't have to if they don't want to. After learning it in school of course and graduating all the classes with acceptable grades. After that...let them pursue their interests and goals. And obviously your average person can't do anything with the knowledge of evolution. Nor can an average person do anything without it. Maybe join the Tea Party and a fundamentalist religion. That's about it. I prefer to know as much as I can about what's happening around me and is affecting me. I suppose many people are happy to live in ignorance. They should be permitted that preference unless it adversely and directly affects the life of others. Lois
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Nor can an average person do anything without it. Maybe join the Tea Party and a fundamentalist religion. That's about it. I prefer to know as much as I can about what's happening around me and is affecting me. I suppose many people are happy to live in ignorance. They should be permitted that preference unless it adversely and directly affects the life of others. Lois
I'm behind your emotion. I agree with that. But making the Tea Party connection is not correct. There's no direct correlation behind people caring about evolution and anything else. It's apathy that's all. And it's no different then people being apathetic about car repair or quantum physics. Your making an unfair line in the sand in regards to people. People on both sides of your perceived line are apathetic about evolution. And that's ok. Plus there's a difference between being apathetic about evolution and not accepting evolution as fact. A big difference.
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I wonder if it’s us becoming less interested in science or science becoming too complicated to keep up with. Seventy years ago, as a young teen, I could read Scientific American and check out library books, and that allowed me to keep up pretty well. However, changes and new discoveries are happening so fast now that as much as I read, I know that I’m not staying abreast of a great many scientific advances. The average person is not obsessed as I am, so I can see how people would decide to ignore what they can’t keep up with.
They seem to be zeroing in on the genes that go toward making superior brain structures and functioning. Maybe, in a few generations we’ll be back to eugenics and breed a population of Sheldons, that is, with an average IQ of about 200, Then they may be able to keep up. :lol:
Occam

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I wonder if it's us becoming less interested in science or science becoming too complicated to keep up with. Seventy years ago, as a young teen, I could read Scientific American and check out library books, and that allowed me to keep up pretty well. However, changes and new discoveries are happening so fast now that as much as I read, I know that I'm not staying abreast of a great many scientific advances. The average person is not obsessed as I am, so I can see how people would decide to ignore what they can't keep up with. They seem to be zeroing in on the genes that go toward making superior brain structures and functioning. Maybe, in a few generations we'll be back to eugenics and breed a population of Sheldons, that is, with an average IQ of about 200, Then they may be able to keep up. :lol: Occam
Occam do you think the percentage of people interested in science has gone up, down, or remained the same since you were a teen?
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I don’t know, but I think the bases for that may be a bit different. Then, there wasn’t nearly as much communication about science so many weren’t even aware of most of what was going on. Starting with the atomic bomb in 1945 science became much more publicized so more poople are aware of it, but I’m not sure they’re interested in learning about any of it.
Occam

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I don't know, but I think the bases for that may be a bit different. Then, there wasn't nearly as much communication about science so many weren't even aware of most of what was going on. Starting with the atomic bomb in 1945 science became much more publicized so more poople are aware of it, but I'm not sure they're interested in learning about any of it. Occam
Yeah, you're right. The basis for that probably has changed. I think lot's of people are probably not interested in science. I don't think they should have to be.
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Yes I totally agree with you VA. It’s mostly apathy. Why wouldn’t it be? We are science and learning people more or less.(me much less…) Obviously we are focused on these polls and on the concept of evolution itself. But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it!
I agree to a point Vy, here in America we value free thought and the ability to pursue whatever interests us, we generally do anyway but I believe that everyone should be made aware of the scientific concept of evolution apart from the fairytale story about god, mud, ribs, and the talking snake. beyond that it's pretty much up to the individual to further pursue the theory and it's intricacies. My point was aimed at making the theory of evolution accessible to everyone that each person may decide for themselves how they wish to use the info without the nebulous biblical interpretation. So yes I guess you could say that the "don't knows" are apathetic and would rather talk about who's the top player in the NBA or what NSACAR driver has the most wins (always a big topic here) rather than paleoanthropology. It's up to them to decide, personally I can't see why they wouldn't be excited abut the latest archeological finds but that's my opinion and everybody has one! Cap't Jack
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But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it!
hmmm, can only talk for myself. I intended to write one or two lines, but it's a big subject and kinda on my mind quite often anyways), so the question got me going. {Thanks, you may have given me my next FCFP essay topic :-) But, before there is eloquence there must be rough drafts, so bear with me :red: } I've found that my life long hobby/love of learning about evolution and gaining an ever deeper understanding of biological and geological evolution - has been punctuated with mini-epiphanies, when new understandings have clicked and opened me to entirely new levels of appreciation for how we got here / and my place in this Creation. And stuff like that can't but help make a tangible difference in the way I view myself and the world around. On the one hand, it gives me the satisfaction of better understanding how the various landscapes I've travels through got to be that way. Or regarding life - to have this understanding of cells being the product of countless lessons going back billions of years and it's beautiful beyond description. Appreciating evolution has also instilled in me an ever deeper (more solid) spiritual security. I know I am part of this evolutionary process, I've been granted my one moment on this planet, blessed with being a cognizant human of healthy body, intellect, curiosity, passion all of which has enabled me to learn about this fantastical Creation around me. Think of the profundities we know about… for example, where the cells in my body came from… and the fact that it took billions years of learning for everyone of those countless building blocks and metabolica cascades to figure it out. Try to image all that had to be worked out before organizing cells could even be dreamed of - it's amazing and it happened, and all those experiences are coursing through my blood - it has a visceral reality to me. Early during those boring billion years, long before cells happened our planet was a caldron of experimentation and dead-ends and learning and realizing. First basic elements slowly evolving into an every wider variety of minerals… then life's metabolic processes joined the dance, with time more complex minerals (& atmospheres) were created, enabling yet more complex experimentations of life to happen leaving behind their lessons, which in turn had a way of creating yet more unique minerals. I consider all those steps of evolution and realize they went down one day at a time! just like my life is racing past me one day at a time, but everyday is richer than the day before. Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolutionary_history_of_life In its 4.6 billion years circling the sun, the Earth has harbored an increasing diversity of life forms: for the last 3.6 billion years, simple cells (prokaryotes); for the last 3.4 billion years, cyanobacteria performing photosynthesis; for the last 2 billion years, complex cells (eukaryotes); for the last 1 billion years, multicellular life; for the last 600 million years, simple animals; for the last 550 million years, bilaterians, animals with a front and a back; for the last 500 million years, fish and proto-amphibians; for the last 475 million years, land plants; for the last 400 million years, insects and seeds; for the last 360 million years, amphibians; for the last 300 million years, reptiles; for the last 200 million years, mammals; for the last 150 million years, birds; for the last 130 million years, flowers; for the last 60 million years, the primates, for the last 20 million years, the family Hominidae (great apes); for the last 2.5 million years, the genus Homo (human predecessors); for the last 200,000 years, anatomically modern humans.
"Circle of Life" nonsense, it's always been a "Spiral of Life" That stuff is coursing through our blood, and what can I say, I have a visceral awareness of it. And it makes all the difference in the world! No matter what has happens to me the person - my success and failure etc. - I am aware and good with the fact that I'm just a short movie that will be over in a hurry. I love and experience every day good and bad - Even back during the darkest days, when everything seemed against me and some really sad, tragic times, compounded by self-inflicted wounds and all the drama of a passionate life in those 70s/80s, and so on and so forth… Even through the most depressed there was that core solidity of knowing I am a child of this planet, look around and breath in the air and appreciate the scenery and what it means (I've made a point of living within beautiful areas, so that helps. No matter how shitty I felt driving to work I could always imagine a commute into Chicago and all was better.) Appreciating that I will pass back into this planet feels OK. I am good with dying and solid in knowing echoes of me shall continue. Appreciating evolution is what's made that possible. I actually and truly did come from this Earth and shall return to this Earth, that is tons more beautiful, and satisfying, and solid - than all the fantasized heaven the varied people of this planet can dream up! Deep down I appreciate that the best I can do is experience every day of my moment on Earth. Do the best with the time I have, live according to my creed and ethics, stand tall, even if I was neck deep in poop... especially then ;-P do good where I can and live my days with a peaceful heart. Appreciating evolution has taught me my place in Creation with a security that no dogma hugging Christian can come within light-years of. Their faith is dependent on willfully imposing self-ignorance toward the real world around them and they gotta be aware of that - Actually I think that's why the 'religious' consistently turn out to be the ugliest nastiest hate-filled people around.
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Oh speaking of evolution and attempts at eloquence.
I never did share my latest:
Ancient Landscapes in Motion

This is the sequel to my Four Corners Free Press column:
Understanding “Ancient Landscapes” of the Colorado Plateau

:cheese:

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Oh and on a pragmatic level: What good is a knowledge of Evolution?
What about the Medicine and Germ Theory and combating illness - wouldn’t a realistic understanding of evolution have important real world implications in disease prevention?

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And I thought it was closer to half. Guess, I should I be relieved. So then, why do I find no comfort in this?
Probably because polls like this are all over the place, depending upon how they ask the question. The next one they publicize will probably show that 60% DON'T accept evolution.
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Yes I totally agree with you VA. It’s mostly apathy. Why wouldn’t it be? We are science and learning people more or less.(me much less…) Obviously we are focused on these polls and on the concept of evolution itself. But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it!
I agree to a point Vy, here in America we value free thought and the ability to pursue whatever interests us, we generally do anyway but I believe that everyone should be made aware of the scientific concept of evolution apart from the fairytale story about god, mud, ribs, and the talking snake. beyond that it's pretty much up to the individual to further pursue the theory and it's intricacies. My point was aimed at making the theory of evolution accessible to everyone that each person may decide for themselves how they wish to use the info without the nebulous biblical interpretation. So yes I guess you could say that the "don't knows" are apathetic and would rather talk about who's the top player in the NBA or what NSACAR driver has the most wins (always a big topic here) rather than paleoanthropology. It's up to them to decide, personally I can't see why they wouldn't be excited abut the latest archeological finds but that's my opinion and everybody has one! Cap't Jack
Yes VA, and that's exactly what I said in my post. I said everyone should be taught it in school and have to get the usual, acceptable passing grades in order to graduate.
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Yes VA, and that’s exactly what I said in my post. I said everyone should be taught it in school and have to get the usual, acceptable passing grades in order to graduate.
Yeah, I just elaborated on what you said, but CC's post #10 pretty well sums it up for me and is far more descriptive (and prosaic BTW) than I could post. What we as educators need to teach is not just the nuts and bolts of evolution but the scope and wonder of the process leading to our environment and ulitmately to us and our place within it. That's one aspect of Native culture I adopted in my own life. The more I study the evolutionary process, the more intriguing it becomes. that's really why I like Dawkins' books. Cap't Jack
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Yeah, I just elaborated on what you said, but CC's post #10 pretty well sums it up for me and is far more descriptive (and prosaic BTW) than I could post. What we as educators need to teach is not just the nuts and bolts of evolution but the scope and wonder of the process leading to our environment and ulitmately to us and our place within it. That's one aspect of Native culture I adopted in my own life. The more I study the evolutionary process, the more intriguing it becomes. that's really why I like Dawkins' books. Cap't Jack
Well you and CC are the exceptions I hinted at. You find it interesting. You guys like science. I'm also a proponent of evolution. Not because it really fascinates me, but because the scientific truth of it is an integral part of an ideological struggle. By all means if you can develop a way to make science more interesting in school then I'm all for it. However, like I've said before in other threads-Education doesn't need to improve, the impetus for education needs to change/improve. Industry(in the most broadest term possible), or even culture(in the broadest terms possible) are the Mother of Education. Not the other way around. We have the educational system we need(deserve?) all the time. It's always at maximum efficiency. As a side note, and I hesitated to include this, I believe that polls or references like this only go to further alienate people. Learn how to popularize evolution. The reactionaries relish the fact that "elitists" and "intelligentsia" look down on the population for not knowing about evolution. This last is the fundamental key behind my response to this thread. It's ok if people don't know about evolution. It really is ok. People don't need "evolution" in their daily lives. Except you and CC... :-)
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Nor can an average person do anything without it. Maybe join the Tea Party and a fundamentalist religion. That's about it. I prefer to know as much as I can about what's happening around me and is affecting me. I suppose many people are happy to live in ignorance. They should be permitted that preference unless it adversely and directly affects the life of others. Lois
I'm behind your emotion. I agree with that. But making the Tea Party connection is not correct. There's no direct correlation behind people caring about evolution and anything else. It's apathy that's all. And it's no different then people being apathetic about car repair or quantum physics. Your making an unfair line in the sand in regards to people. People on both sides of your perceived line are apathetic about evolution. And that's ok. Plus there's a difference between being apathetic about evolution and not accepting evolution as fact. A big difference. Maybe so. But I think a person who reaches adulthood without understanding the importance and reality of evolutionary theory is more likely to join a movement like the Tea Party. Or maybe it's just generally apathetic people who are likely to join. I'd be happy to be proven wrong. It would improve my view of humanity. Lois
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Yes I totally agree with you VA. It’s mostly apathy. Why wouldn’t it be? We are science and learning people more or less.(me much less…) Obviously we are focused on these polls and on the concept of evolution itself. But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it!
I agree to a point Vy, here in America we value free thought and the ability to pursue whatever interests us, we generally do anyway but I believe that everyone should be made aware of the scientific concept of evolution apart from the fairytale story about god, mud, ribs, and the talking snake. beyond that it's pretty much up to the individual to further pursue the theory and it's intricacies. My point was aimed at making the theory of evolution accessible to everyone that each person may decide for themselves how they wish to use the info without the nebulous biblical interpretation. So yes I guess you could say that the "don't knows" are apathetic and would rather talk about who's the top player in the NBA or what NSACAR driver has the most wins (always a big topic here) rather than paleoanthropology. It's up to them to decide, personally I can't see why they wouldn't be excited abut the latest archeological finds but that's my opinion and everybody has one! Cap't Jack
Yes VA, and that's exactly what I said in my post. I said everyone should be taught it in school and have to get the usual, acceptable passing grades in order to graduate. I agree. The student wouldn't have to accept it as true, just demonstrate a knowledge of how it works, what brought scientists in every branch of science to accept it, why and how the sciences have depended on it for further research and how it supports later developments. If a student wants to refute that, it would be an educational opportunity for him or her to be expected to present a reasoned refutation against it. Lois
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I don't know, but I think the bases for that may be a bit different. Then, there wasn't nearly as much communication about science so many weren't even aware of most of what was going on. Starting with the atomic bomb in 1945 science became much more publicized so more poople are aware of it, but I'm not sure they're interested in learning about any of it. Occam
Yeah, you're right. The basis for that probably has changed. I think lot's of people are probably not interested in science. I don't think they should have to be. If they really aren't interested in science, what is driving them to form radical opinions about it? vyazma also wondered, "But what does the idea of evolution do for most people on a day to day basis? Nothing. It does nothing for me either. And I know about it!" It doesn't do much beyond making the person appear intelligent. It's a distinct advantage when the subject comes up at a gathering. Of course, if it's a gathering of dolts, it won't have much effect. Lois