Britons unconvinced on evolution

[Filuwaúrdjan]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4648598.stm

[phk]

Most of those unconvinced would be Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants.

[MasterJedi]

Most of those unconvinced would be Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants.

Err, why?

I guess he doesn't think that people in the west would believe in creation. -_-

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Most of those unconvinced would be Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants.

Not likely; as of the last census 4% of the population was [south] Asian, while (according to the poll) 52% of the population don't believe in evolution... I would be suprised if they weren't a lot more sceptical than average though.
I'll have a look for some more detailed stuff...

[phk]

Most of those unconvinced would be Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants.

Not likely; as of the last census 4% of the population was [south] Asian, while (according to the poll) 52% of the population don't believe in evolution... I would be suprised if they weren't a lot more sceptical than average though.
I'll have a look for some more detailed stuff...

They might be tipping the numbers over 50%.

Edit: Wait

    * 22% chose creationism
    * 17% opted for intelligent design
    * 48% selected evolution theory
    * and the rest did not know.

48% Evolution
39% combined for creationism and ID
11% simply haven't decided yet...

So its a bit misleading to say 52% rejects Evolution.

[afleitch]

Interesting. While i'm saddened a little by the results, it just provides further evidence of the British public's drift towards skepticism of science and medicine. (See MMR debate for details)

[MasterJedi]

Interesting. While i'm saddened a little by the results, it just provides further evidence of the British public's drift towards skepticism of science and medicine. (See MMR debate for details)

Your sad because people don't just follow some aspects of science without thinking?

No offense but I've been getting a feeling from you that everyone shouldn't believe in ID/creationsim and should love abortion and gay marraige otherwise they're not being as liberal as you and thus not believing what is "true".

[A18]

So its a bit misleading to say 52% rejects Evolution.

I didn't read the article, but the topic simply says "Britons unconvinced on evolution," which would presumably mean that the majority either rejects or is not sure about evolution.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So its a bit misleading to say 52% rejects Evolution.

It would be, yes. But I never said that; if the poll is accurate than 52% don't believe in Evolution (with 39% rejecting it). I've not been able to find any details (Mori are terrible at updating their website) although one article mentions that there was an age gap with 55% of older people believing in Evolution.
This is the first time I can remember anyone actually doing a poll of this, btw.

[phk]

So its a bit misleading to say 52% rejects Evolution.

although one article mentions that there was an age gap with 55% of older people believing in Evolution.

This is the direct quote from the link you posted..

Participants over 55 were less likely to choose evolution over other groups.

[afleitch]

No offense but I've been getting a feeling from you that everyone shouldn't believe in ID/creationsim and should love abortion and gay marraige otherwise they're not being as liberal as you and thus not believing what is "true".

That's the joys of democracy. People can hold different views and air them. My own views on the matter, that you take exception to, are not that different from many people on this forum.

But I do need to correct you on a few things. I do not 'love abortion.' I am actually fairly anti-abortion in the majority of cases. I just believe that banning it or restricting it is wrong and unworkable. I believe in the freedom to choose even though personally I don't like the decisions that some expectant mothers make.

Secondly I currently oppose gay marriage at this moment. I don't believe society is ready to accept it at them moment (particularly as marriage can have religious significance) and that civil unions are a dignified compromise that give gay couples the protection they need.

So before you decide to let off steam because I happen to believe in evolution double check your facts first.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That doesn't mean that 52% rejects evolution, as evolution and intelligent design don't neccesarily contradict. Only 22% said they believed in pure creationism. Still those numbers strike me as suprising for any European country, especially the 44% saying they wanted included in schools. Especially since when you see over here despite the constant whining of the fundies, trying to sneak creationism into schools isn't really catching on.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

[quote author=phknrocket1k link=topic=35548.msg804131#msg804131 Participants over 55 were less likely to choose evolution over other groups.
[/quote]

In other words another article misreported it? Makes more sense now...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That doesn't mean that 52% rejects evolution, as evolution and intelligent design don't neccesarily contradict.

Well no, that's true. 52% do not believe in the conventional theory of evolution though (if the poll is accurate). The spin that intelligent design is evolution (but different) has hardly been used here, btw.

Not sure whether to be suprised by these figures or not; after all it's not exactly a much polled issue... the only suprising bit was how high the "wants creationism taught in schools" part was.

[Bono]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Well, keep in mind this is the BBC. It's about as reliable as DU.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

99.9% of Americans disagree with "Al".

In a nationawide sample of 1000 Americans, only 0.1% choose the statement "I agree with Al of USElectionAtlas.ORG". The most common response was "Who?" with 50.3% followed by *CLICK* with 38.8%.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

99.9% of Americans disagree with "Al".

In a nationawide sample of 1000 Americans, only 0.1% choose the statement "I agree with Al of USElectionAtlas.ORG". The most common response was "Who?" with 50.3% followed by *CLICK* with 38.8%.

Riiiiiiiiight... um... have you been drinking again?

[Tory]

Remember that skeleton anthropologists found in Indonesia or summat a while back? They said it was a different species of human that had died out and it was splashed all over the news and the papers. Then about a month later I saw in a little tiny footnote in the back of a newspaper that it was false, there was no new species. They got it wrong. And that was the only thing I heard about it. When they made the discovery it was shoved down our throats, but most people didnt hear it was wrong. That's the kind of thing we're dealing with here. Scientists are wrong most of the time and the news media refuses to report anything other than that the scientific community is always 100% correct. Evolution is simply a theory, and a theory with a lot of holes in it at that. To sum it up, I don't believe things just because a scientist tells me they are facts.

[MasterJedi]

99.9% of Americans disagree with "Al".

In a nationawide sample of 1000 Americans, only 0.1% choose the statement "I agree with Al of USElectionAtlas.ORG". The most common response was "Who?" with 50.3% followed by *CLICK* with 38.8%.

Riiiiiiiiight... um... have you been drinking again?

No, he's just off the deep end on the left side.