Barely Half of Americans Accept Evolution
Gallup reports:
Only about a third of Americans believe that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is a scientific theory that has been well supported by the evidence, while just as many say that it is just one of many theories and has not been supported by the evidence.
People who don't "accept" evolution are guilty of very unfortunate ignorance, but it's probably an understandable ignorance. I wouldn't be surprised if people were similarly ignorant of other aspects of science. It's a sign of the great scientific illiteracy of American culture. Saying that evolution "isn't supported by the evidence," however, is another matter entirely.
The Centre for Public Opinion & Democracy explains some more of the Gallup numbers. Of those polled, 38% say that humans evolved with God guiding the process, 13% say that humans evolved without any divine intervention, and 45% say that humans were created by God exactly as they are (4% are listed as other/no opinion). Thus we have a bare majority — 51% of people — who accept evolution in some form.
So how can 51% accept evolution if only 35% think that evolution is supported by the evidence? Presumably all (or at least nearly all) 13% who say that humanity developed with divine intervention are in that group of 35%. The rest — and that's most of the group — must believe that God guided evolution but that evolutionary theory isn't supported by the evidence. So do they think that evolution proceeded by miracle? Do they simply have "faith" in evolution like they have "faith" in God? Did they even understand the questions being asked?
The numbers of people who "accept" evolution in some form are up from the 49% reported in February, 2001, but these "better" numbers aren't exactly inspiring. They simply make Americans look confused.
Read More:
Comments
I don’t believe in evolution myself. I have to say that if it is true then the scientific community are guilty of not being able to articulate themselves.
Little more seems to be said than things like “It’s a fact” “only the illiterate don’t believe” etc etc. For more samples reread this post.
Ask any scientist a question regarding how a meteor hitting earth could destroy all life and you will get a serious answer with all the maths involved.
Ask any question re evolution and the only answers seem to be about taking a superior intellectual stance.
IPerhaps that is based upon assumption that others won’t listen to reason, perhaps it is because there is nothing more to say.