Did Humans Evolve? Not Us, Say Americans

[_TJ_]

In surveys conducted in 2005, people in the United States and 32 European countries were asked whether to respond “true,” “false” or “not sure” to this statement: “Human beings, as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals.” The same question was posed to Japanese adults in 2001.

The United States had the second-highest percentage of adults who said the statement was false and the second-lowest percentage who said the statement was true, researchers reported in the current issue of Science.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/science/sciencespecial2/15evo.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[baldguy]

1. .

[_TJ_]

6. I see no evidence of evolution here

These two photographs obviously depict the same specimen. I would surmise
that someone has shaved the animal before taking the picture on the left,
perhaps as some sort of jest or jape.

[Ravenseye]

13. snap

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. A scene from the prescient Blackadder the Third

(Blackadder has fixed an election to get Baldrick elected as his stooge in Parliament. Vincent Hanna, the BBC's real election reporter, played himself, in full 18th century costume of tights etc.):

Vincent Hanna: (Fitting?) words from the Prince Regent. And now let's have a word from the Adder Party candidate, Mr. S. Baldrick, who so far has not (Baldrick enters with a turnip in his mouth, the leaves sticking out) commented on his policies in this campaign; but with him is his election agent, Mr. E. Blackadder.

Edmund: Well, we in the Adder Party are going to fight this campaign on issues, not personalities.

Vincent Hanna: Why is that?

Edmund: Because our candidate doesn't *have* a personality.

Vincent Hanna: He doesn't say much about the issues, either.

Edmund: No -- he's got something wrong with his throat.

Vincent Hanna: Well, perhaps he could answer one question: What does the `S' in his name stand for?

Edmund: `Sod off'. (leaves)

Vincent Hanna: Fair enough, er, none of my business, really. And now it's time, I think, for a result, and tension is running very high here. Mr. Blackadder assures me that this will be the first honest vote ever in a rotten borough. And I think we all hope for a result which reflects the real needs of the constituency. And behind me...yes, I can just see the Returning Officer moving to the front of the platform.

Edmund: As the Acting Returning Officer of Dunny-on-the-World...

Vincent Hanna: (cuts in) Er, the acting Returning Officer, Mr. E. Blackadder, of course. And we're all very grateful, indeed, that he stepped in at the last minute, when the previous Returning Officer accidently brutally stabbed himself in the stomach while shaving.

...

Vincent Hanna: And now, finally, a word with the man who is at the center of this bi- election mystery: the voter himself. And his name is Mr. E. Bla-- Mr. Blackadder, *you* are the only voter in this rotten borough...?

Edmund: Yes, that's right.

Vincent Hanna: How long have you lived in this constituency?

Edmund: Since Wednesday morning. I took over the previous electorate when he, very sadly, accidently brutally cut his head off while combing his hair.

Vincent Hanna: One voter; 16,472 votes. A slight anomaly...?

Edmund: Not really, Mr. Hanna -- you see, Baldrick may look like a monkey who's been put in a suit and then strategically shaved, but he is a brilliant politician. The number of votes I cast is simply a reflection of how firmly I believe in his policies.

Vincent Hanna: Well, that's excellent. Er, well, that's all for me. Another great day for democracy in our country. Vincent Hanna, Country Gentleman's Pig Fertilizer Gazette, Dunny-on-the-World.

http://blackadder.powertie.org/transcripts/3/1/

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Alas, more true than we realize, I'm afraid. n/t

[Tace]

3. Very, Very Interesting

Half of Americans really are profoundly ignorant. It's stunning.

[MisterHowdy]

4. Our people didn't evolve

they're actually regressing.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

24. "In parts of our world, people are yelling "Revolution! Revolution!'

Down South, people are yelling 'Evolution! Evolution! We want our thumbs!'"

-- Bill Hicks

[TheFriedPiper]

5. The least evolved tend to not believe in evolution

nt

[The2ndWheel]

7. And the vast majority of humans don't like evolution

Some don't think it happens, others actively attempt to stop it from happening.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

8. People need to be educated on what evolution means:

People automatically assume that it means we cam from monkeys... which most all scientists say is false. Have they ever heard of the likes of Cro-Magnum Man? the Neanderthals? Big Foot?

I am a Christian, therefore I believe God created things... but that doesnt mean that they cant (havent) evolved.

Things evolve, that is a scientific certainty. A FACT. Its called Natural Selection and acclumation. So, why is it such a far stretch to say that things have changed alot over the millenia?

And why, oh why can people on BOTH sides not seem to accept that maybe, just maybe, Creation and Evolution hold hands throughout time.



NOTE: I am not supporting the teaching of creation in schools in any way, shape, of form, as there is nothing scientific to base faith on. A leap of faith is just that.

[_TJ_]

10. A scientist would probably say...

"And why, oh why can people on BOTH sides not seem to accept that maybe, just maybe, Creation and Evolution hold hands throughout time."

...that accepting creation means we have to accept the existence of a creator. And that is
an entity scientists have found no evidence for.

[Ravenseye]

12. One thing I don't get

Is why Christians (or other theists) can't believe that God 'directed' evolution. That way we can have our science, and the theists can have their belief system. My problem with the situation is that when confronted with scientific fact that contradicts their views, their 'simplest' explanation (ergo Occam's Razor) is that all the variety of evidence is either falsified, bad science, or deliberately placed there by God to test our faith...To me the simplest explanation is that the evidence is true, therefore what was written in that book by a variety of semi-nomadic desert people 4000 to 2000 years ago isn't 100% indisputable fact.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

20. I agree entirely

and nowhere in the Bible does it say "Evolution is horseshit"

It also aggrivates the hell out of me that other Christians think the earth is only 3000 years old. Just becuase you have faith doesnt mean you have to be a dumbass

[Richard Steele]

21. Personally, evolution seems pretty MIRACULOUS to me.

Much more impressive, and Godlike in scale, than simply
saying 'presto' and making a human appear.

[ComerPerro]

26. you answered your own question there

and besides, there aren't two sides. There are hundreds of sides.

The Christian creation myth isn't the only one out there

[Ravenseye]

9. I blame religion

Mind you i'm not saying that if you're Christian, you're therefore wrong and evil...I'm not saying that at all, though I might personally think you're wrong, that doesn't make a Christian dumb or evil...

What I AM saying is that there are a significant number of Christian churches in this country which encourage people's ignorance through belief. Ask these same people who deny evolution how we were created and 99.99% of them, or more, will tell you that we were created by God, in his image, and they know this because it's in the Bible. Many of them apparently believe Noah's ark was real as well (per another survey I saw recently).

Our edcuational programs in this country are appalling, particularly in science and any kind of rational and critical look at history and social science. It's no fault of the teachers though (who overwhealmingly wish to teach evolution and critical thinking) but the lack of support for them, and the lack of a strong educational system in the country as a whole, including lack of funding, and support for the system internally and externally.

Mesh that with preachers whitewashing what little information is gleaned in school, and the ability to pass ignornace from one generation to another (it's also a startling percentage of american homes that have only 1 book in it, and I'll give you 1 guess as to what book it is) and we have a very very ignorant country.

Fundamentalist religion isn't only a threat via terrorists from the middle east, but from within. Belief in God, in any form, isn't dangerous in and of itself, however if the religion itself preaches and espouses ignorance and a dulling of critical thought, then we're all in trouble.

[_TJ_]

11. There are some things we don't wanna know - IMPORTANT things! n/t

[LynzM]

15. I cannot imagine only having one book....

I have no idea how many we have.... thousands?? I cannot imagine having grown up in, or living in, a house with only one book. Books are fundamental to my existance. Wow. I think that, more than anything else in that thread, just... well, wow.

[CrispyQ]

19. I was boggled by that too!

And the book that was on display at our house on a special stand in the hallway was a dictionary!

[Ravenseye]

23. Can't find a link

I remmeber reading the study where it showed that there were many homes in the U.S. that had NO books in them. It boggled my mind. Where i'm sitting right now I can see hundreds of books on our shelves. Fiction. Non-Fiction. Technical. Reference. Philosophy. Religion. Science...Add in the homes that only have the bible and you have a significant percentage (not a majority mind you, but I think it was someting astounding like 20-30% combining the two.

It was a study that showed a correlation between educational levels, earning levels, etc with how many books someone had, and how children would do in school. Essentially the more books at home, the better the kids did in school. Sort of a meaningless study, as it didn't claim books made you smarter, but that people with more education tended to have more books...well duh...

Anyway yeah. Scary. Wish I could find a link to the study.

[BlooInBloo]

18. I blame the people who *believe* in religion...

Why not give credit where credit is due? Religion is an education-retardant.

[Gypsy Down Under]

25. How can this be taken seriously

When attending an "alpha" course, (an introductory course to becoming a christian) I was taught that God made us to be free thinkers and have free will, but in the very next breath I was told that if we didn't follow the bible we would go to hell!
Just to confuse me further, the bible contradicts itself continually, so which parts am I meant to follow?

[ramapo]

14. Rather depressing

It isn't easy living in an age of ignorance

[_TJ_]

16. Not to worry...

With these pinheads controlling the most powerful military
force in human history, we probably won't have to
worry about living for very long!

[smomfr]

22. 20 million years from now.............

the dominant species on Earth ( highly evolved cockroachs ) will be debating weather they were evolved from dumb f**k humans.