1 in 4 "Americans" Don't Know Earth Orbits the Sun.

[DC Al Fine]

I'm an orthodox Presbyterian. Never heard anyone at church argue against heliocentrism.

[Link]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of all of Bill Gates's money. Where did he graduate from, again?

[Link]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of all of Bill Gates's money. Where did he graduate from, again?

Oh, Lord this again.  Every single uneducated loser always likes to make an excuse for themselves by glossing over the fact Bill Gates dropped out of HARVARD to start what would become a multi billion dollar software company.  He did not drop out of some BS middle of the pack random school to take some nondescript middle management marketing job.  This forum would be a lot better if we had more people that actually had a career and went out into the world and looked for jobs.  Let's be clear.  In the 1990s there were not intelligent hardworking college students chomping at the bit ready to drop out of college for the first BS marketing job that came their way.  That little lie is an insult to everyone who successfully completed college in the 1990s.

Anyway the guy has lied about it several times...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/article/2013/dec/18/scott-walker-early-years/

I don't recall Bill Gates lying about why he left HARVARD.

If you are going to vote you need to do better fact checking.  Honestly I rarely see a topic that generates as many lies as someone asking Scott Walker why he didn't graduate from college.

[H. Ross Peron]

I'm an orthodox Presbyterian. Never heard anyone at church argue against heliocentrism.

I guess that's what you get for lurking around Calvinist message boards such as PuritanBoard, although they are are criticized even by the young earth creationists there.

[TJ in Oregon]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

What does Walker have to do with this? Has he denied the earth orbits the sun or something?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Oh, and it gets worse, the majority of young people think astrology is a science (though I suspect they're confusing it with astronomy or trolling.

It's the -logy suffix.  If the astrologers hadn't already coöpted the term, then astronomy would be called astrology. (And chemistry would be called alchemy.)

[Person Man]

Though the same survey said that it was roughly as bad in other modernized countries. There was the issue of 48% of people answering about evolution but 72% acknowledging that a consensus in the scientific community exists for it.

[Peeperkorn]

Oh, and it gets worse, the majority of young people think astrology is a science (though I suspect they're confusing it with astronomy or trolling.

It's the -logy suffix.  If the astrologers hadn't already coöpted the term, then astronomy would be called astrology. (And chemistry would be called alchemy.)

logy = logos = knowledge

[muon2]

As someone who teaches astronomy, I can say I'm not surprised, and it's not about religion or politics. Moderate has part of the answer - people generally don't retain facts that don't apply to their everyday lives. Xahar also has part of the answer, when people hear an unexpected or unfamiliar question they easily misunderstand the question. One of the best predictors for success in college physics or astronomy at the introductory level is not one's math skill, but rather one's reading skill.

But astronomy doesn't apply to my everyday life and I still retain that information. I don't understand why it's so difficult to retain such a basic fact. I'm a history guy, I don't do math or science. By that logic I shouldn't be able to remember that the earth revolves around the sun.

You're an educated guy and recognize that a wide range of factual information has value. There are many people who don't hold such views. It may not even be about knowing whether the earth revolves around the sun, but as simple a fact as what does it mean to orbit. Maybe for some orbit refers to the moon or satellites around the earth and the connection to the earth around the sun is not apparent.

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

I don't believe that Algebra II is impossible, but I do believe it should be dropped from the curriculum. Many of those who I know that believe it should be dropped are actually quite expert at Algebra II. But we had a whole thread on that subject, so I won't belabor my reasons here.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Really? You're surprised? If anything I would've expected it to be higher.

[justfollowingtheelections]

We humans often like to think we have evolved, but the immense number of channels on tv, the amount of beer in our fridge, and the fast car in our garage don't make us better than other animals.  Th intelligence level of the vast majority of the population is incredibly low.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

http://www.geekosystem.com/kate-mulgrew-to-narrate-a-film-about-how-the-sun-revolves-around-the-earth/

[Mordecai]

Well you know statistically speaking these people must exist somewhere.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Oh, and it gets worse, the majority of young people think astrology is a science (though I suspect they're confusing it with astronomy or trolling.

It's the -logy suffix.  If the astrologers hadn't already coöpted the term, then astronomy would be called astrology. (And chemistry would be called alchemy.)

logy = logos = knowledge

     Something that most people have much less of than they think.

[Simfan34]

And some of you want these people voting?

Not all of us, no.

[Simfan34]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

Scott Walker, a college dropout, is spoken of as a serious contender for president and a substantial number of people think basic 10th grade math (ie Algebra II) is impossible and should be dropped as a requirement for a high school diploma.

Those results don't shock me.  It's the rise of the idiocracy.

Therefore, Scott Walker must think the Sun revolves around the Earth. As would all people without college degrees, because you need a college degree to know the Earth revolves around the sun. Which is why college graduates repudiated the ignorant party and voted 47%-51% Romney... oh wait.

Try using some facts before drawing broad, sweeping generalisations.