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. The rest say they don't know enough to say. Forty-five percent of Americans also believe that God created human beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago. A third of Americans are biblical literalists who believe that the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word. Just a little more than a third of the American public is willing to agree with the "scientific theory well supported by evidence" alternative, while the same percentage chooses the "not well supported by evidence" alternative. Another 30% indicate that they don't know enough about it to say or have no opinion. There has been essentially no significant change in the responses to this question since 2001. <>
What do we make of these responses?
To be sure, most Americans are not trained scientists, and it's probable that the last formal exposure to biology and evolution theory for many came decades ago in junior high or high school, a few maybe in college assuming they were at a liberal arts institution and need GE requirements. Confronted with this question asking for thoughts about a scientific theory, it's perhaps surprising that even more did not choose the "don't know enough to say" alternative. Certainly some doubts regarding the validity or scientific "accuracy" of any theory comes from a lack of basic training or knowledge of science, as well as from holding BELIEFS that run counter to them. It is as if the human brain can only contain one set of underlying axioms of orientation to the universe at one time. If you hold Beliefs X & Y you can't hold Knowledge A & B. <>
Yet, evolution is not just any theory. It is one of the most basic theories in science today, and most biologists and other scientists believe that the theory is so well supported by data that it is a basic part of the scientific firmament. I find it constantly surprising that the same people to reject evolution can accept quantum/super string theory for which the evidence, experimential data, and objective validity are far less clear. These same folks spout Einstein and deny Darwin; the hypocrisy is insane. Thus, it is of great interest to the scientific community to find that the public appears just as willing to say that the theory of evolution "has not been well supported by the evidence" as it is to say that it has been well supported. That so many people were willing to make the claim that they Believe in Creationism is seriously frightening because evolution is grounded on something quite real and immediate, simple observation. Time passes along certain lines in consensual time/space continuums and things within that flow of time change, morph, evolve naturally. Even deeply devout church goers have to acknowledge that their own parishes evolve over time. so that "leap of faith" over and beyond the most vast chasm of disbelief into a place where what their very own sensory inputs tell them is rejected, is for the most part classically insane; it is psychotic. And that must necessarily apply to their "moral values" as well...
If i were inclined to deny reality presented by my own senses, and accept that there was this invisible being that floated around in space controlling and evaluating every action of every human, i think i would find it much more likely that i would accept that some species of life from some other nearby solar system in this galactic configuration could actually design, build, and use a vehicle to transport themselves and others to this planet. Which is far more likely?? a single diety with omniscient power holding total control over a cauldron of chaos filled with evils beyond human imagination, or that the Earth might actually have been visited by non-Earth related species? If this is a toughy, then we understand that the US is in big big trouble for a long long time to come..
