Posted on 08/31/2006 7:42:01 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
More adults in the United States believe the theory of evolution is correct, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 51 per cent of respondents think that humans and other living things evolved over time, while 42 per cent say they existed in their present form since the beginning of time.
Charles Darwin’s "The Origin of Species" was first published in 1859. The book details the British naturalist’s theory that all organisms gradually evolve through the process of natural selection. Darwin’s views were antagonistic to creationism, the belief that a more powerful being or a deity created life.
In the United States, the debate on the topic accelerated after the 1925 Scopes trial, which tested a law that banned the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools. In 2004, Georgia’s Cobb County was at the centre of a controversy on whether science textbooks that explain evolutionary theory should include disclaimer stickers.
The theory of intelligent design suggests certain biological mechanisms are too complex to have developed without the involvement of a powerful force or intelligent being.
Last month, Austrian cardinal Christoph Schoenborn said the two views are not necessarily incompatible, declaring, "There is no conflict between science and religion, but a debate between a materialist interpretation of the results of science and a metaphysical philosophical interpretation. (...) The possibility that the Creator used evolution as a tool is completely acceptable for the Catholic faith."
Polling Data
Some people think that humans and other living things evolved over time. Others think that humans and other living things existed in their present form since the beginning of time. Which of these comes closest to your view?
|
|
||
|
Jul. 2006 |
Jul. 2005 |
|
|
Evolved over time |
51% |
48% |
|
Existed in their present form |
42% |
42% |
|
Don’t know / Refused |
7% |
10% |
Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,003 American adults, conducted from Jul. 6 to Jul. 19, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
If you had 100 people, and had 51 stand to your left, and 49 people standing to your right, wouldn't most of the people be to your left?
That would only be necessarily true if "their class" consisted of 100% believers in evolution. If you include creationists etc in their classes, then you'd have to actually find out if creationists were equally academically inclined in order to support the 50% claim.
I think the nefariosity of niceosity is in its populocity.
some folks just aren't particularly bright. if one chooses to attack another, one should never use a weapon which is guaranteed to miss the target and wound the user.
"limping lagomorph" is a more appropriate nik, no?
there you go, being methodically empirical again. tsk! ;)
Perfect!
I think your idea is actually pretty good. I actually like the idea of religion being taught. I do not believe that one can really have a solid understanding of western civilization without a pretty firm grasp of the religious beliefs and actions of its people.
My preference, though, would be to have the discussion to be outside of both religion and science studies. Let them soak in all the info they can get from the various academic disciplines, and then go at it.
It's pretty much what we did in college (over beers and bongs - well it was the '70's after all).
But if they didn't come from Adam and Eve then it is possible 1/2 of the population or more of the world didn't come from Adam and Eve.
Kinda puts a kink in the literal Genesis thinking.
Thanks -- I guess all that tryeosity finally paid off!
Reproduction had to have been built-in for biogenesis to succeed. There could be no "evolution" in that process for it had to succeed from the beginning, otherwise there would be no life. If evolution continued, it began from that point.
That's the simple part. The rest, I believe, is God.
I doubt we'll ever be able to solve biogenesis, because to know what precedes it would imply knowledge of death beyond simply knowing that it happens.
"But if they didn't come from Adam and Eve then it is possible 1/2 of the population or more of the world didn't come from Adam and Eve."
Certainly. Literal Genesis is tough to tackle because no one who experienced is living. But even so, the bible also acknowledges other people or tribes existed. It could have even been evolved apes into Neanderthal type beings. But keep in mind that Adam rising from the dust is not too farfetched in that the carbon we have in our body has always been a part of the earth since the beginning. And into dust we return. This means a plant living 10 million years ago could have recycled 10 million times into the corn you bought at the grocery store, which you ate, added nutrition to an unborn child, who is born, retaining the same carbon material.
I forget where I heard this first,
Don't bring a comic book to an encyclopedia fight
Now all they have to do is explain evolution in relation to the existence of the "workings" of the universe.
Keep in mind that many creationists on FR have been observed making or repeating demonstratably fabricated claims.
Question: Do you think that the truth of any matter can be settled by means of a public opinion poll? Just wondering....
Science doesn't deal in TRVTH. Just the most reliable descriptions of phenomena it can come up with.
What can be settled with opinion polls is public opinion. This is a statement of how well or how poorly the public has been informed about the scientific consensus.
That's an insult to rabbits.
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