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
--------------------------------------------------------
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 do you know what they are?"
I believe because I can see. I observe stars, sun, rocks, trees, gravity, day night, seasons, comets, etc. etc. etc.
Nope. From the article I posted above:
About one out of five Americans believe that winning the lottery is the most practical way of attaining personal wealth
If most of the people support I.D. being taught in classrooms, then it should be taught, because it is the PEOPLE who's taxes keep the schools functioning.
If most people support that Pi=3.00, should schools teach that, too?
Kudos to the common sense of the American public.
Now if we can just get the ossified educational bureaucracy out of the way, we could have real scientific debates in the classroom. Imagine making kids think, instead of sitting through indoctrination!
What would be next -- differing hypotheses?
And you say you don't understand these things? But in fact, many people understand a great deal about them. So why is your lack of understanding somehow something you think other people should emulate?
Why? You expect little university students to emulate your lack of understanding of just about everything, so why are you picking on snooky?
...he said, in the obnoxious and overbearing manner of a zealot on the other side.
This is a frequently repeated error. The single common tree of life of ribosomal RNA is strong scientific evidence for universal common descent.
There is also no evidence that random mutation and natural selection got us from a single cell creature to what we are today, but they teach that too.
You are quite well aware there is massive genomic and fossil evidence that we descended from single-celled creatures, and massive genomic evidence that the process was mutation coupled with natural selction.
Freqeuntly repeated error number 2.
I we are going to accept beliefs in science as valid theories, whose to criticize which ones get in there?
You can criticize what you want. However, you would, if you were smart, leave the teaching of biology to people who know some biology. If the above is any indication, your criticism would come from the standpoint of unusual ignorance and/or prejudice.
PING for excellent timing!!
Finish high-school first, zeeba, and we'll talk about what university students need to emulate.
Here is my question today for any evolution supporters here:Okay.
What part of this statement, if any, is NOT TRUE?
The theory of evolution is not observable, testable, or replicable. Therefore it cannot be accepted as scientific fact.All of it.
Thanks for any replies.
You're welcome.
If Darwinists insist on "winning" the battle of ideas by preserving a monopoly in the schools, ramming it down the throats of parents and schoolboards with the aid of activist judges, they will only succeed in discrediting themselves completely.
It's like the way Freudians tried to impose their views on society when they were riding high. "If you don't see things our way, you're crazy, and we'll lock you up."
Imposing a scientific theory by judicial fiat is not very smart politics, especially for people who call themselves conservatives.
"If most people support that Pi=3.00, should schools teach that, too?"
The symbol/value pi is a well known mathematical concept, that has been proven.
The theory of evolution is just a theory, which atheists like to believe, and want to force everyone else to believe, is fact.
The theory of evolution is not observable, testable, or replicable. Therefore it cannot be accepted as scientific fact.
Every part of it is not true. Evolution is observable, testable, and replicable, in all the ways that science requires. You appear to be confused about the kind of observation, testability, and replicability that science is about.
Read this if you're still confused: FAQs: Biology and Evolutionary Theory
Hee, hee. Take that as a lesson.
BTW, What do you mean "other side"?
I am of course on the other side of the ACLU.
Do you think I can get enough people to vote to make math easier.
I'd bet you could get at least 69%.
That is not what this survey says at all.
I am in that 69%. I want teachers to teach all evidence both for and against.
I do *not* beleive that ID is 'evidence'. I do not believe there is any evidence *supporting* ID. If you can find any, then teachers should teach it.
But saying, "This is too complex" is not evidence.
Lol, yet I had to figure out the circumference for you on PMarlowes bowl. By the way, God would know the exact figure of pi, so no guesswork was involved.
Because, of course, scientific knowledge is determined by public opinion polls, and the general public knows enough about biology to be able to properly construct a science curriculum better than science teachers do...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.