America, Evolution and our Global standing (tradition, choice, creation, experience)

[Evolved1]

Whether the theory of evolution is 100% correct, or 100% incorrect, the fact remains that we have no better explanation for the biodiversity that we see here on earth. Until someone can provide a model that better pinpoints our origins, the ToE is what we have to work with and is what should be taught to our children.


Evolved1

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Random

Bumpity-Bump for my wonderful post above. Where's the frubals, huh?

For that? Why?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Zeno

Most of what is learned through science is counter intuitive. The earth being round, the fact that solid objects are mostly empty space, air being composed of molecules.

We used to think that sperm cells were just really really small fully developed people. Isn't the idea that they aren't counter intuitive?

People don't seem to have a problem comprehending this stuff, so why evolution.

As for the "highly disputible metaphysical claims such as the randomness of Mutation and the Directional vs Adaptive elements of Natural Selection"

...just because random genetic mutations may seem like an abstract concept to some doesn't mean they are highly disputable. And nothing about natural selection is directional.

99.8% of biological and physical scientists in the U.S. fully accept evolution. If the theory were worthy of this supposed dispute, you would find a debate in the public and scientific realms. This is not the case. In the U.S. the issue is solely political, religious, and public.

Outstanding post!

[gnostic]

Drat! I don't see Australia in that chart. Many smaller countries made to list, but Australia seemed to have vanished from the scale.

[painted wolf]

Originally Posted by rocketman

Your nation, America, leads the world in many scientific and science based areas and will continue to do so. A population's universal understanding of biology has nothing to do with it. Although evolutionary studies involve many scientific disciplines, the bulk of science done these days does not require a belief in biological evolution either way.

For now we do, but we are coming to rely more and more heavily on those who come in from overseas to help us keep going.
Sure Evolution isn't necessary for Physics, but it is necessary for Medicine, Ecology, all studies of the animal kingdom and genetics.

We are raising a generation that doesn't have basic science knowledge or skill.
The most troubling bit is that for the most part, the powers that be don't seem to mind. Once just a few generations ago scientists were looked up to, now its sports players.

We are more willing to believe in UFO's and ghosts than evolution.

This brings up another disturbing thought. People will glady accept that "tuning your aura" or Homeopathic "remedies" with .00001% of a substance (like crushed rhino horn) will cure cancer, but then claim that the SmallPox vaccine was a mistake.

It seems that this phenomenon is relatively recent here in the USA... but if our prior celebration of science brought us to where we are today, where will the current trend to disdain science lead us in the future?

wa:do

[painted wolf]

ps... sorry to all the countries that didn't get to beat the US on the list.

[Random]

Strange how the blind lead the blind sometimes, in both religion and science it seems...

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Zeno

And nothing about natural selection is directional.

Selection is referred to as 'directional' as opposed to 'stabilising' in science texts quite commonly. I doubt that this linguistic convention could sensibly be argued to constitute a metaphysical claim however.

[rocketman]

Originally Posted by painted wolf

Sure Evolution isn't necessary for Physics, but it is necessary for Medicine, Ecology, all studies of the animal kingdom and genetics.
wa:do

I accept that genetics itself is the study of contemporary 'evolution' but I just can't see a need for a belief in pre-historical evolution for any of these disicplines unless it was the pre-historic itself that was the field of interest. I've been thinking for days but have come up dry. Any ideas?