Re: [Phys-l] Poll shows fewer Americans "believe" in global warming

[Marty Weiss <martweiss@comcast.net>]

POLL: JUST 39% BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION
Posted: Thursday, February 12, 2009 10:30 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
Today it's not only Abraham Lincoln's birthday; it's also Charles  
Darwin's.

And a brand-new Gallup poll tied to Darwin's birthday finds that just  
39% of Americans believe in evolution.

As expected, Gallup notes, education plays a big role here: 74% of  
those with post-graduate degrees believe in evolution. That's compared  
with only 21% of high school grads (or those with less education) who  
believe in the theory.

Ditto religion: 55% who don't attend church believe in evolution,  
versus 24% of weekly churchgoers who believe in it.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/12/1791814.aspx



Yes,  the general public does use the word BELIEVE in a religious  
sense.     Here is the main thrust of my original post:  The use of  
the word BELIEVE in asking people about things they are most likely  
uninformed about was the main thing I was trying to argue.   And, yes,  
many people ARE so dumb as to interpret BELIEVE in that sense.      
They do NOT know the current science of they are being asked about,  
and the word BELIEVE sets off a similar red flag in their minds.    
Look at the first thing most uninformed people will say...     
Evolution?   Man from monkeys, absolutely NOT.    Ask the average Joe  
and that is exactly what he will say or ask.   "No, I don't believe  
man came from monkeys!"   That's what evolution means to the average  
person on the street.  It's not descent with change, or change over a  
long period of time, or any of the other rational statements.  It's  
immediately,  "I'm not related to any monkey!"  The same thing happens  
to almost any scientific theory we can name that seems out of place or  
not real to the people.   Buit, ask them if they BELIEVE in the spirit  
world, and I bet a larger number will say,  "Of course there are  
spirits!  My Aunt Gracie came back to me a few nights ago."  Ghost  
Hunters is a very popular program now and even usually reliable  
scientific companies are selling ghost detectors.  (See the posts of  
today on the physics or chem group list and the disclaimer from the  
chairman of marketing for that company.)     It is not elitist to show  
distain for most of those people.   Just look at the poll above.  Use  
the word believe and they immediately return to their educational and  
religious roots.  The amount of school plays a big role in this, and  
we teachers obviously did not get any points across in our science  
classes!    I CAN legitimately say,  "I don't believe President Obama  
is not doing a good job."  But, I cannot legitimately say, "I don't  
believe the world is round."   (don't nitpick with spherical or other  
such terms... you get my drift!).   The word BELIEVE is so overused in  
scientific polls as to be completely useless to the pollster.
Now, as to the other thing a few of you got wrong about my original  
post.  Some people here keep focusing in the global warming issue like  
a red flag to a bull.    The title was global warming but that was  
only a small reference to the discussion of the word BELIEVE.   You  
may ask what other word would you use?   I DID ask that same question,  
and to criticize my post without referring to my asking the same  
question is disingenuous to say the least.

Marty


On Oct 22, 2009, at 1:23 PM, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:

> The general public does not use the word BELIEVE in the the sense of  
> religious-like belief. What word would you use? People are not so  
> dumb as to interpret BELIEVE in the absurd sense that you are trying  
> to pin on them. They know full well that they are being asked if the  
> evidence that they have encountered in the papers and on TV has  
> convinced them of warming or cooling or whatever.
>
> It's elitist to have such disdain for the common person. They  
> usually have a better sense of what's going on around them than  
> activists who see everything with blinders on.
>
> Bob at PC
>
> -