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This from NCSE.
A new report on attitudes toward evolution among scientists and the
public.
VIEWS ON EVOLUTION AMONG THE PUBLIC AND SCIENTISTS from
PUBLIC PRAISES SCIENCE; SCIENTISTS FAULT PUBLIC, MEDIA
Scientific Achievements Less Prominent Than a Decade Ago
"Nearly all scientists (97%) say humans and other living things have
evolved over time," while only 61% of the public agrees, according to
a new report (p. 37) from the Pew Research Center for the People & the
Press. Asked which comes closer to their view, "Humans and other
living things have evolved over time" or "Humans and other living
things have existed in their present form since the beginning of
time," 97% of scientists responding chose the former option, as
opposed to only 2% choosing the latter option; 61% of the public
responding chose the former option, as opposed to 31% choosing the
latter option.
Those who chose the former option were also asked whether they
preferred "Humans and other living things have evolved due to natural
processes such as natural selection" or "A supreme being guided the
evolution of living things for the purpose of creating humans and
other life in the form it exists today." Among scientists, 87%
preferred the former option and 8% preferred the latter option; among
the public, 32% preferred the former option and 22% preferred the
latter option. Members of the public were also asked whether
scientists generally agree that humans evolved over time; 60% said
yes, 28% said no.
"Views on evolution vary substantially within the general public," the
report observed (p. 38), "particularly by religion and attendance at
religious services." For example, among white evangelical Protestants
responding, a majority, 57%, agreed that humans existed in their
present form since the beginning of time, and among those respondents
attending religious services weekly or more often, a near-majority,
49%, agreed. In contrast, among the religiously unaffiliated
responding, 60% agreed that humans evolved due to natural processes.
Also correlated with acceptance of evolution were youth and education.
The questions about evolution were part of a larger project, conducted
by the Pew Research Center and the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, investigating the public's attitude toward
science and comparing it to the attitude of scientists. The report
relied on three surveys, two conducted by telephone among members of
the general public in the United States in April, May, and June 2009,
and one conducted on-line among members of the AAAS in May and June
2009. The broader significance of the project's results are summarized
in the Pew Research Center's overview report, issued on July 9, 2009.
For the full report (PDF), visit:
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/528.pdf
For the overview report, visit:
http://people-press.org/report/528/
__________________
__________________
Martin Weiss, PhD
Science Interpretation Consultant
mweiss at nyscience dot org
Charlie and Kiwi's Evolutionary Adventure
See how life changes over time
May 23rd through August 30th
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