Science is science, faith is faith - never the twain shall meet?

Originally posted by Rren
I'd definately be interested in reading a source on that. 28% of US citizens being YEs seems unlikely. Eugene Scott is about as objective on this issue as Dawkins (ie, a wet paper bag

) Still interested, regardless.

It was actually published in 'science' but Pandasthumb have a post on it.

www.pandasthumb.org...

If I have time, I'll look for that DaveScott debacle, it was a study that had a series of questions, overall, it seemed pretty even, with US citizens showing greater understanding than other countries on some concepts, but not others, ToE included.

I'll answer the rest of the post when I get a chance as well.

Originally posted by melatonin


www.pandasthumb.org...

That's a poll with regards to public acceptance of ToE. You Brits (in the other BBC poll mentioned there) had similar stats. Until this new poll, where, suprise, suprise... you're near the top. Gotta love statistics, eh. I'm sure the ones I posted could be refuted/shifted or 're-calibrated' just the same too. But dang Kettle, you're black as night over there. Yours truely, Pot.

ToE and stats, meh? Surely just "stats, meh" should get an amen. Guess I started it though. Unless your ridiculous 'projection pic' was the first punch. Yeah, it was you.

If I have time, I'll look for that DaveScott debacle [...] I'll answer the rest of the post when I get a chance as well.

Don't sweat it mate. Take your time, ol' chap. I had a couple days with not much to do... I've been living on the boards/blogs reading anything I could get my hands on. Basically bugging anybody who'll let me. Be gone after today for awhile. So you got some time to get your ducks in a row, before I get back and thrash you.




Cheerio Guvna.

(edit)spelling/typo

(edit number B)Cheerio should be two Es and one R, like the breakfast cereal

[edit on 3-5-2007 by Rren]

[edit on 3-5-2007 by Rren]

Originally posted by Rren
That's a poll with regards to public acceptance of ToE. You Brits (in the other BBC poll mentioned there) had similar stats. Until this new poll, where, suprise, suprise... you're near the top. Gotta love statistics, eh. I'm sure the ones I posted could be refuted/shifted or 're-calibrated' just the same too. But dang Kettle, you're black as night over there. Yours truely, Pot.

ToE and stats, meh? Surely just "stats, meh" should get an amen. Guess I started it though. Unless your ridiculous 'projection pic' was the first punch. Yeah, it was you.

Well, I don't think the projection picture was meant to be a serious assessment of future contributions to science and technology, just to make a simple point - if these guys get their way, science education in the US will go down the pan. If there is anything kids in europe and US need, it's a good education in science. It's what will keep us competitive economically.

Also, most in the UK don't even know what ID is, which was an interesting question to put it in there (17%, only 10% actually bother going to church). We don't really need to worry about school boards here, we have a national curriculum and little religious interference (except in particular faith schools). We also don't have the likes of Ham presenting to kids. But like the US, science education needs work in our schools, but unlike it, we don't have a concerted effort of religious interference.

The Eugenie Scott study was a meta-analysis of numerous studies/polls over a certain time period. It also shows that acceptance of evolution has decreased over time in the US, but so has rejection. Although there was another very recent study on this that showed the new generation is more accepting, which is good news.

But, yeah, polls have questionable reliability, but it's all we have I guess.

Don't sweat it mate. Take your time, ol' chap. I had a couple days with not much to do... I've been living on the boards/blogs reading anything I could get my hands on. Basically bugging anybody who'll let me. Be gone after today for awhile. So you got some time to get your ducks in a row, before I get back and thrash you.

Here ya go, I waded into the den of iniquity...

www.nsf.gov...

www.nsf.gov...

Also, if you check the article that DaveScott uses (Miller, 1998; p.15), there's not much difference between UK and US, seems it's continental european countries who had more issues on scientific literacy as defined by this study in 1998, however, education is very variable across europe, completely different systems. Although, more recent figures (e.g 2004 NSF figures) are rather different, there doesn't seem too much difference. But pseudoscientific beliefs are widespread.

pascal.iseg.utl.pt...

[edit on 3-5-2007 by melatonin]