Thursday, January 2, 2014

Evolving or Regressing?

The recent surveys on evolution in the US can be read in so many ways, so I have a few reactions:
  • That fewer Republicans buy into evolution does not surprise me.  As the party gets narrower and older (thinkprogress had a piece on this), those most likely to flee the party are going to be the ones most likely to be reality based and not so science-averse.
    • As always, my reaction to folks who don't buy into evolution is to ask them not to partake of any of the evolution-based products ... such as anti-biotics.  But with the whole anti-vax movement causing heaps of folks to suffer when they should not be suffering (plus causing other peopel to be sick), I guess not.
  • That 2/3s of Democrats and Independents do buy into evolution only seems like good news when compared to the Republicans.  That people are rejecting some of the basics in science (biology, geology, chemistry, economics, political science, history, etc.) is pretty disturbing.  Too many folks rejecting that which is well known and basic.  Hard to have decent conversations when the fundamentals are so mis-understood.
  • I was amused when I was at the Natural History Museum to see so much stuff that was focused on the evolution of humans.  If only Congress knew what was down the street ....

No comments: