Re: [Phys-L] proof that humans have not evolved

[Ze'ev Wurman <zeev@ieee.org>]

I would point out that the majority of people *everywhere* around the 
world are scientifically illiterate. Including places like Switzerland, 
France, or Italy, not only in Sudan. In fact, the majority everywhere is 
barely literate in any sense, except for basic reading literacy. Check 
the (not many) results from Adult Literacy and Lifeskills survey (ALL) 
and Int'l Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). At all ages.

United States is not at the top, but it is far, far, from the bottom.

And let's remember that believing in Nessie is no different in believing 
in the big bang or in evolution (or AGW :-) for *most* people. For them, 
the belief is based on trusting authority and dogma rather than on 
anything they can convincingly prove or disprove to themselves. This 
lack of scientific and mathematical knowledge has little impact on their 
behavior, or on their ability to function.

Just today a friend happened to post this on his FB page:

"It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from 
falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the 
government from falling into error." -- Justice Robert H. Jackson 
(1892-1954)

After all is said and done, I believe Justice Jackson was right.

Ze'ev

On 6/27/2012 7:03 PM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:
> I'm not trying to "take sides" on this issue, but let's face the facts:
> the majority of people (at least in the US) are scientifically illiterate.
> These people are not "stupid." They might be interested in science (books,
> movies, etc.) but they have limited/basic knowledge of science concepts.
> Maybe they had week science teachers in school or never really took much
> science. They might get most of their science info from the Internet. Not
> sure who/what is to blame, but it is a sad situation in this country. I
> doubt it will it will ever change. The way science is taught in schools
> needs to be fixed, but I don't have the answers.
>
> Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
> > I quote from:
> >
> > http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/loch-ness-monster-cited-by-us-schools-as-evidence-that-evolution-is-myth-1-2373903>
> >
> >
> > > _Loch Ness monster cited by US schools as evidence that evolution is
> > myth_