Studies Suggest Humans Evolved to Deny Evolution

IS evolution itself driving America's growing rejection of modern biology? New studies suggest this very thing.

Today's revelation that one-third of the US population rejects the idea of evolution and instead believes we were created through intelligent intervention is nothing new.

The fact that only a third of us accept that "natural processes such as natural selection" are behind our existence has had science thinking for some time.

Creationism is growing into a powerful political force. But the strength of their arguments and the forcefulness of their campaign does not entirely explain its growing success.

The debate has heated up in recent years as and a so-called "culture war" is being waged across a deepening partisan divide.

RELA TED: 1 in 3 Americans reject evolution

So why does the concept of evolution cause so much upset in an era overwhelmed with science - be it in medicine, transport, communication and calculation?

"Natural selection is like quantum physics ... we might intellectually grasp it, with considerable effort, but it will never feel right to us," writes the Yale psychologist Paul Bloom.

It's about the nature of our brain. It's an amazing device at finding new and successful ways to adapting to an ever-changing world - with the minimum of effort.


The brain has evolved, psychologists argue, to conserve its energy and speed up its processes through a series of "mental shortcuts".

This "unwillingness" to expend mental energy may be behind the difficulty of accepting complex ideas such as evolution.

Those shortcuts affecting the evolution-versus-creation debate include:

CATEGORISATION

CHALLENGED COMPREHENSION

ANTHROPOMORPHISING

EVERYTHING HAS MOTIVE

TRIBALISM

For an explanation of that list Read More Here

Well it certainly seems that way sometimes there are even some fallacies that describe this one of them is God of the gaps.
I certainly can understand to some degree why it is easier for people to think God is responsible than trying to understand scientific theories such as evolution. I am currently learning about string theory which I find difficult to understand for some people evolution is their string theory. I imagine a great many people find it too difficult to grasp so they embrace an easier concept i.e. god.

There is no doubt that a great many people do not understand evolution proof of that is strewn throughout threads here on ATS. Just about every thread here about evolution will have several people comment about an aspect of it demonstrating that they do not even have a basic understanding of the theory. Many of them do not even know the meaning of a scientific theory they think it is the same as the word theory in an everyday general sense. Most can't differentiate between Abiogenesis and evolution.

It is easier for them to accept Scripture than to expend the mental energy to grasp scientific concepts. Of course this isn't true for everyone but I see it daily on ATS. Jumping to the conclusion that God did it is simply a way to conserve mental energy at least that is the idea. I am paraphrasing. Well honestly I think the study is probably dead on. Of course there is more to it to see for yourself just click on the link.

reply to post by Grimpachi

That the older generations are the ones with the higher disbelief margin then those who are young. I note this as educational opportunities from my limited understanding were not as available to the older generations as say they are to those of 18-29 when this poll was conducted. If you look at the percentage of college grads put against the ones with HS or less it is a staggering difference, and I know quite a few people in that age group and a bit of them dropped off for metal foundry jobs and the military without graduating. To me this is telling of what is truly being said about this poll. It is my opinion.

My post in "surprising number of americans who do...

There is another thread that is directly linked to the PEW research conducted that is used in your source of course that source was the Huffington Post I suppose one is as good as another

reply to post by Grimpachi


I really do not think that's true. imho, it's more a software cultural thing than a hardwired resistance. Kinda ties in with entitlement in a weird kinda way.

Sweet!...another topic for people to argue about and to enlarge the divide between ourselves

Honestly, the results will show something different in another 4 years. I dont think this is significant or relevant.

Hell, I could give you one answer on Monday and a different answer on Friday. But I know nothing. Thats why its called a belief-system and not a know-system.

Id say its more about ego than genetics,

Its nicer to believe we are special and were created than came up out of some primordial goo.

My belief is somewhat between the 2, I believe in evolution but also think we were tampered with at some stage in our past which is the reason we dont have a clear linear family tree.
Unfortunately its just a theory and I doubt well ever know for certain.

I sometimes envy religious people, it must be nice to be so certain of everything even if it is just faith based

reply to post by Brotherman


Yeah I have seen your thread before this one touches on the causation though. The only real change from the 2009 study and this recent one as far as demographics go has been the gap between democrats and republicans that reject evolution the overall sum of people that believe vs those who do not hasn't changed but it looks like their party affiliation has.

Anyway like I said I think the study is probably dead on as to why people reject evolution. Honestly just read some threads here on ATS the majority of adamant deniers do not even grasp the concept very well.

Evolution is junk science and should have been discarded a long time ago. More people are waking up and realizing this, which challenges the current paradigm. The true egoists are the "scientists" that create "scientific" reasons as to why their theories are being rejected...

If monkeys evolved to humans than what are humans evolving into?

Duracell
If monkeys evolved to humans than what are humans evolving into?

Are you trying to prove the article and me right?

Who told you humans evolved from monkeys?

If evolution is correct when will the monkey's be driving cars or talking or walking upright?
I suspect never.

reply to post by Grimpachi


So if I understand the study correctly; humans naturally eschew complex ideas as the need for simple ideas (be they wrong or right) are preferred? More easy to execute with the least investment for the greatest return?

reply to post by ABNARTY


Yup that's one way to put it. Another way to say it is people are mentally lazy.

Duracell
If monkeys evolved to humans than what are humans evolving into?

BABYBULL24
If evolution is correct when will the monkey's be driving cars or talking or walking upright?
I suspect never.

The theory doesn't say humans evolved from monkeys.
Think of it more like tree branches than the picture of a monkey walking along and becoming a man. One common ancestor (the trunk) grew into two different branches - humans on one and monkeys on the other.


I think this idea could probably be true, though it sure makes it seem like only uneducated people don't believe in evolution which obviously isn't true. I think it has a lot more to do with cultural and environment when talking about where people's beliefs lie rather than their education.

Despite of our human spiritual abilities, it seems only US citizens show the huge statistics, denying evolution.

Now that gives you reason to think it's not because of our human natural attraction to have faith.

It's not a very difficult concept though, to understand. It only takes a little interest, and a reasonable education, which is something that I assume we all get in life.

After the knowledge is there to understand the concept of evolution, and the science that continuously get refreshed by new evidence...
You will be able to make a choice for yourself, believing whatever you want to believe.
String theory isn't a good comparison though, as it is pretty difficult to understand.

The point is reached where a lot of people can either accept the idea science explains, introduce it withing your believes or deny any evidence exist and simply live your live with religious eye sockets narrowing your view on reality.

Unfortunately, a large number of people choose to deny any well funded arguments, without changing their religious ideas. They do so without even opening up to learn and understand.
Learning is a precious gift we got, and when we don't use it, you show to be unworthy of it...?

The people in the last group are in my opinion, a stereo type by them selves. One that only shows religious believes they most likely did not learn by on their own account.
The total ignorance and even hostile behavior of the scientific method, makes them uneducated zealots,.

That's what I think. No pun intended, no insult either, although it does seem that way.

I respect people that choose to trust their faith, that do understand the consequences of their action, and know what makes them have faith.

I hope people will take of their religious boundaries. It's not by any means for corrupting your minds.
You have to learn understand your position in life. in my opinion.

I won't be replying posts that aren't nice.

Have a good day

I find it ironic that a psychologist is commenting on this, not a biologist. Especially considering how unscientific psychology is.

A Neurologist, however, would be more valid.

Lets bypass that, though. What I find most confusing is why the concept of the Theory of Evolution, is apparently so complex, in the eyes of the article at least.

I find the theory to be immensely simplistic, and the natural phenomenon of evolution to be fairly straight forwards as well.

The issue, is not that it is difficult to understand, but that - in general - those that do not accept that the phenomenon is a fact, are simply doing so due to their lack of knowledge of the phenomenon, not their inability to understand it. Also, perhaps, a bias due to religious implications. Which, in turn, feed misconception about the theory and the phenomenon.

Notice how they are two separate things.

reply to post by Grimpachi


One day all the world will evolve into Americans. Then we can all be fat and stupid together. I want to see a peer reviewed study on that.

I suspect the same mechanism that causes people to follow what the government says on a given issue, lockstep, is also responsible for evolution denial, in many cases.

Government has a vested interest in keeping people subservient to either an almighty god, or themselves. Or put another way, if a government isn't outright totalitarian, they will use forms of subtle propaganda and brainwashing on the more susceptible to reject science when it conflicts with God (which people are all so willing to do because of this mental laziness these scientists have discovered), so they can continue to use the "God hates brown people" propaganda to feed their perpetual wars.

Also, as we continue to rely more and more in electronic devices such as smart phones to categorize all of our information, this brainwashing will only become worse.

Or put yet another way, it is cultural.
I'd be willing to wager the folks in China don't deny Scientific Fact nearly as easily as the idiots in here in the United States.

six67seven
Sweet!...another topic for people to argue about and to enlarge the divide between ourselves

Honestly, the results will show something different in another 4 years. I dont think this is significant or relevant.

Hell, I could give you one answer on Monday and a different answer on Friday. But I know nothing. Thats why its called a belief-system and not a know-system.

edit on 2006x6720America/ChicagovAmerica/Chicago1 by six67seven because: (no reason given)

Evolution is not a belief system. It is a scientific fact, hence the significance of this.

reply to post by Grimpachi


Umm, evolution describes a process. Intelligent design is an EXPLANATION for how and why the process exists.

So they are not the same, and it is misleading to treat them as if they were the same.

The real hot-button issue is materialistic-evolution that organizes itself in random ways (which right now is wholly unjustified at a scientific level; we still have no clue how life began from non-life; how enzymes emerged, etc. there are so many holes in materialistic random evolution that I think it is perfectly justified to hold to an intelligent design theory) verses evolution that was directed by intelligent design.

We really need to stop pretending like we know everything. Seriously. Can we just be mindful for a second and understand the degree of our own ignorance? And therefore, it is perfectly ok and justified for people to hold to different theories for how life started, or for how the universe works?

In my experience, I find the most zealous critics of non-conformity to a prevailing view are people who subscribe to materialistic evolution.

reply to post by Ghost147


lol @ neurologist would be different.

The mind is a fact. Therefore, psychology is a science.