Posted on 03/07/2006 2:34:37 PM PST by SirLinksalot
Darwin smacked in new U.S. poll
Whopping 69 percent of Americans want alternate theories in classroom
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Posted: March 7, 2006 5:00 p.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
A new poll shows 69 percent of Americans believe public school teachers should present both the evidence for and against Darwinian evolution.
The Zogby International survey indicated only 21 percent think biology teachers should teach only Darwin's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it.
A majority of Americans from every sub-group were at least twice as likely to prefer this approach to science education, the Zogby study showed.
About 88 percent of Americans 18-29 years old were in support, along with 73 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of independent voters.
Others who strongly support teaching the strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory include African-Americans (69 percent), 35-54 year-olds (70 percent) and Democrats (60 percent).
Casey Luskin, program officer for public policy and legal affairs with Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture said while his group does not favor mandating the teaching of intelligent design, "we do think it is constitutional for teachers to discuss it precisely because the theory is based upon scientific evidence not religious premises."
The Seattle-based Discovery Institute is the leading promoter of the theory of Intelligent Design, which has been at the center of challenges in federal court over the teaching of evolution in public school classes. Advocates say it draws on recent discoveries in physics, biochemistry and related disciplines that indicate some features of the natural world are best explained as the product of an intelligent cause rather than an undirected process such as natural selection.
"The public strongly agrees that students should be permitted to learn about such evidence," Luskin said.
The Discovery Institute noted Americans also support students learning about evidence for intelligent design alongside evolution in biology class – 77 percent.
Just over half – 51 percent – agree strongly with that. Only 19 percent disagree.
As WorldNetDaily reported, more than 500 scientists with doctoral degrees have signed a statement expressing skepticism about Darwin's theory of evolution.
The statement, which includes endorsement by members of the prestigious U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Russian Academy of Sciences, was first published by the Discovery Institute in 2001 to challenge statements about Darwinian evolution made in promoting PBS's "Evolution" series.
The PBS promotion claimed "virtually every scientist in the world believes the theory to be true."
How is that relevant to our discussion? If the majority of taxpayers vote to change math so that Pi=3, your logic requires you to support them.
The theory of evolution is just a theory
As is the theory of gravity, or germ theory. What's your point?
which atheists like to believe
Are you saying that all atheists believe the TOE, or that the TOE is only believed by atheists? Both statements are wrong.
and want to force everyone else to believe, is fact.
How is anyone being "forced" to believe the TOE?
I say we legislate the value of Pi to be 3.0000. Those other digits are too confusing.
Considering that probably 50%+ of people do not really know what the h*ll Pi actually is (and I don't mean it's value), you should be able to get at least 69% based on the results of this 'poll'.
How about the idea that there had to be a catalyst for the change to occur. Even if you believe in evolution, something had to have made it happen, same with the big bang theory (which is not the T of E)
So the teachers should teach that there had to be Someone who caused everything to happen.
There are folks out there who don't want the weaknesses of the current theory taught?
They are in a minority, sure, but they exist???
Dang.
I would think all scientists would want the weaknesses of current theory taught. So we can improve on the theory. That's how science works.
The ToE is not perfect. It has flaws that can/will be improved, via the scientific process.
The poll said, "evidence". And I feel the same way.
Teachers shouldn't teach "there had to be". That is bad teaching, bad science.
If there is specific evidence, then *that* should be taught.
Maybe we should poll people's opinions on the law of gravity before building bridges or designing ICBMs.. Maybe we should be funding alchemy on a par with nuclear engineering.
Poll most students on what they think of algebra or calculus.. maybe give them the option of designing their own mathematics program.
Should their views be considered when teaching economics?
Should they not?
No, that's not necesarily a true statement.
What if the universe (in one form or another) has always existed?
Our monkey brains have a tough time grasping "infinity," but it's a possibility.
Has any proponent of "Intelligent Design" been able to muster a single peer-reviewed paper on the subject in any reputable journal?
"How is that relevant to our discussion? If the majority of taxpayers vote to change math so that Pi=3, your logic requires you to support them. "
Because pi has been proven as the truth, therefore students should be taught it. But they should not be taught that a mere theory (and a poor one at that) is the truth. They could be taught that it is one POSSIBILITY, since it has not been proven.
"Are you saying that all atheists believe the TOE"
well what else would an athiest believe? That we simply materialized, or were put here by aliens?
"How is anyone being "forced" to believe the TOE?"
young impressionable children, who are conditioned to believe what they are taught in school, are being taught that the TOE is FACT. Not a theory, not a possibility, but FACT. Thats what kids are being taught.
This poll doesn't support ID.
It supports teaching all evidence.
Is there 'evidence' for ID? I'm not aware of any. So that means this poll says that 69% of the American people are against teaching ID.
Wow! I am totally with you on this.
Maybe, but just as a lesson on fallacious thinking.
I'd be okay in allowing ID into the classroom under those conditions, too.
So you would support the teaching of evidence that questions the T of E then?
Ask Stalin. He had supporters of the TOE fired and/or jailed.
how did it always exist? that's not a logical concept. everything has to have a creator or catalyst.
Has there been a Freeper poll on this issue? It would be interesting to see the results.
I never heard that before. Got a link or something to back it up?
Do you have any evidence that judges involved in ID/TOE cases have been bribed, or are you making this up?
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