Posted on 08/11/2006 11:54:04 AM PDT by presidio9
A comparison of peoples' views in 34 countries finds that the United States ranks near the bottom when it comes to public acceptance of evolution. Only Turkey ranked lower.
Among the factors contributing to America's low score are poor understanding of biology, especially genetics, the politicization of science and the literal interpretation of the Bible by a small but vocal group of American Christians, the researchers say.
“American Protestantism is more fundamentalist than anybody except perhaps the Islamic fundamentalist, which is why Turkey and we are so close,” said study co-author Jon Miller of Michigan State University.
The researchers combined data from public surveys on evolution collected from 32 European countries, the United States and Japan between 1985 and 2005. Adults in each country were asked whether they thought the statement “Human beings, as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals,” was true, false, or if they were unsure.
The study found that over the past 20 years:
The percentage of U.S. adults who accept evolution declined from 45 to 40 percent. The percentage overtly rejecting evolution declined from 48 to 39 percent, however. And the percentage of adults who were unsure increased, from 7 to 21 percent.
Of the other countries surveyed, only Turkey ranked lower, with about 25 percent of the population accepting evolution and 75 percent rejecting it. In Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and France, 80 percent or more of adults accepted evolution; in Japan, 78 percent of adults did.
The findings are detailed in the Aug. 11 issue of the journal Science.
Religion belief and evolution
The researchers also compared 10 independent variables—including religious belief, political ideology and understanding of concepts from genetics, or “genetic literacy”—between adults in America and nine European countries to determine whether these factors could predict attitudes toward evolution.
The analysis found that Americans with fundamentalist religious beliefs—defined as belief in substantial divine control and frequent prayer—were more likely to reject evolution than Europeans with similar beliefs. The researchers attribute the discrepancy to differences in how American Christian fundamentalist and other forms of Christianity interpret the Bible.
While American fundamentalists tend to interpret the Bible literally and to view Genesis as a true and accurate account of creation, mainstream Protestants in both the United States and Europe instead treat Genesis as metaphorical, the researchers say.
“Whether it’s the Bible or the Koran, there are some people who think it’s everything you need to know,” Miller said. “Other people say these are very interesting metaphorical stories in that they give us guidance, but they’re not science books.”
This latter view is also shared by the Catholic Church.
Politics and the Flat Earth
Politics is also contributing to America's widespread confusion about evolution, the researchers say. Major political parties in the United States are more willing to make opposition to evolution a prominent part of their campaigns to garner conservative votes—something that does not happen in Europe or Japan.
Miller says that it makes about as much sense for politicians to oppose evolution in their campaigns as it is for them to advocate that the Earth is flat and promise to pass legislation saying so if elected to office.
"You can pass any law you want but it won't change the shape of the Earth," Miller told LiveScience.
Paul Meyers, a biologist at the University of Minnesota who was not involved in the study, says that what politicians should be doing is saying, 'We ought to defer these questions to qualified authorities and we should have committees of scientists and engineers who we will approach for the right answers."
The researchers also single out the poor grasp of biological concepts, especially genetics, by American adults as an important contributor to the country's low confidence in evolution.
“The more you understand about genetics, the more you understand about the unity of life and the relationship humans have to other forms of life,” Miller said.
The current study also analyzed the results from a 10-country survey in which adults were tested with 10 true or false statements about basic concepts from genetics. One of the statements was "All plants and animals have DNA." Americans had a median score of 4. (The correct answer is "yes.")
Science alone is not enough
But the problem is more than one of education—it goes deeper, and is a function of our country's culture and history, said study co-author Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education in California.
“The rejection of evolution is not something that will be solved by throwing science at it,” Scott said in a telephone interview.
Myers expressed a similar sentiment. About the recent trial in Dover, Pennsylvania which ruled against intelligent design, Myers said "it was a great victory for our side and it’s done a lot to help ensure that we keep religion out of the classroom for a while longer, but it doesn’t address the root causes. The creationists are still creationists—they're not going to change because of a court decision."
Scott says one thing that will help is to have Catholics and mainstream Protestants speak up about their theologies' acceptance of evolution.
"There needs to be more addressing of creationism from these more moderate theological perspectives," Scott said. “The professional clergy and theologians whom I know tend to be very reluctant to engage in that type of ‘my theology versus your theology’ discussion, but it matters because it’s having a negative effect on American scientific literacy."
The latest packaging of creationism is intelligent design, or ID, a conjecture which claims that certain features of the natural world are so complex that they could only be the work of a Supreme Being. ID proponents say they do not deny that evolution is true, only that scientists should not rule out the possibility of supernatural intervention.
But scientists do not share doubts over evolution. They argue it is one of the most well tested theories around, supported by countless tests done in many different scientific fields. Scott says promoting uncertainty about evolution is just as bad as denying it outright and that ID and traditional creationism both spread the same message.
“Both are saying that evolution is bad science, that evolution is weak and inadequate science, and that it can’t do the job so therefore God did it,” she said.
Another view
Bruce Chapman, the president of the Discovery Institute, the primary backer of ID, has a different view of the study.
"A better explanation for the high percentage of doubters of Darwinism in America may be that this country's citizens are famously independent and are not given to being rolled by an ideological elite in any field," Chapman said. "In particular, the growing doubts about Darwinism undoubtedly reflect growing doubts among scientists about Darwinian theory. Over 640 have now signed a public dissent and the number keeps growing."
Nick Matzke of the National Center for Science Education in California points out, however, that most of the scientists Chapman refers to do not do research in the field of evolution.
"If you look at the list, you can't find anybody who's really a significant contributor to the field or anyone who's done recognizable work on evolution," Matzke said.
Scott says the news is not all bad. The number of American adults unsure about the validity of evolution has increased in recent years, from 7 to 21 percent, but growth in this demographic comes at the expense of the other two groups. The percentage of Americans accepting evolution has declined, but so has the percentage of those who overtly reject it.
"I was very surprised to see that. To me that means the glass is half full,” Scott said. “That 21 percent we can educate."
It was a show trial. The teacher wasn't even certain he ever taught it. Frankly then and now dissent is what was on trial in the public mind.
No, the article states that understanding of evolution has decreased since the 80's. The more we censor science, the less we learn. The less we learn, the less competitive we are. It'll catch up with us sooner or later.
Biology technology is still in it's infancy. If we keep trying to quiet science because it offends our beliefs we're going to miss the boat.
No, they would be your colleagues. I just happened to frequent the same teacher's lounge with them. Have to go back to the DVD. Don't have her book handy. But her most valid criticism, is, I think, that so much is taken on faith. Liberalism is a "faith", and evolutionism is part of the party line. You know, all "right-thinking" people..... Newman defined liberalism as the anti-dogmatic principle. and for those who call themselves to liberal to indulge in dogmatism is, to use the favorite '60s term, hypocritical.
Gotta agree with the article.
Few theories is science have been subjected to as much testing as evolution.
Oh, we're not behind, we're the world leader??? You mean, this article is of no significance other than bashing people's religion??? Who knew???
Catholics don't have to accept the theory of evolution if they don't want to. It's neither a matter of faith nor morals, so whatever the Church says about its vailidity is not binding of the conscience.
However, given that at least three popes have asserted that evolution IS compatible with the faith, Catholics have to "religiously submit their mind and will" to this proposition. It would not be a sin, however, for a Catholic to reject the theory while at the same time aknowledging that it would not in conflict with Catholicism if true.
I'm open minded to evidence against evolution - problem is the evidence for evolution FAR outweighs the evidence against.
bump ferlater...
YOUR colleagues never bothered to refute anything. Her generalization is valid: modern liberalism attracts people because of the certitude it offers them. The only truth is that there is no truth. All right-minded people, however, accept cerrtain conventions: homosexuality is "natural"--that is, "genetic"; religion is a delusion OR all relgions are the same except for outward form. ; embryos are mere collections of cells; medical science is about to cure cancer, develop a vaccine for AIDS, is infinitely progressive; marriage is whaetever you want to make of it. The UN is an incipient world government; war is evil; abortion is good. The Crusades were bad ; Columbus was an evil man who despoiled an Eden; the Aztecs were misunderstood. And, of course, evolution, is a theory of everything, which tells us the true nature of mankind. Humans are simply intelligent apes, but the scientist are the chimps on the planet of the apes.
It eventually will. The treatments for Cancer and AIDS have come a very long way in the last 20 years.
is infinitely progressive...
Insofar as the science of discovering how to repair, maintain, and improve an incredibly complex machine can progress. Compare, for example, our ability to combat the Great Influenza of 1918 and our ability to treat the Bird Flu.
Amen
Scott: "have Catholics and mainstream Protestants speak up about their theologies' acceptance of evolution."
No! Theology does NOT accept evolution, because there is NO evidence! NONE! Christians have minds, and have allowed 170 years for Darwin's theory to be tested, and by Darwin's own standards, it FAILED!
There are NO transitional fossils giving proof of one species changing into another! There are changes WITHIN a species, but not one species to another.
The theory has been disproven. There is no evidence for it.
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