Field Museum sold on Evolution

Og · 08-11-2007, 08:28 PM

http://www.suntimes.com/news/mcnamee...amee25.article

Quote:

Right from the get-go, there on a sign at the entrance to the Evolution exhibit at the Field Museum, real science takes a stand:

"Evolution is one of science's best-supported theories."

Why this pleases me so much, I'm not sure. What did I expect from one of the world's great natural science museums? A diorama of Adam and Eve tossing Frisbees to dinosaurs?

Evolution is, to be sure, one of science's most solid theories, right up there with the theory of gravity, and about this there is zero controversy -- among scientists.

But step outside the realm of real science and rational thought -- step instead into that parallel world of pseudo-science and faith before reason -- and you might pick up a different impression.

You might even come to believe, swayed by the junk science and misinformation of religiously motivated critics, that evolution is one absurdly crazy idea -- c'mon, men from monkeys?

...

Good stuff.

Quote:

Polls show that at least 40 percent of Americans reject evolution, believing that life has existed in its present form since the beginning of time.

But Grande said he doubts that most people have seriously thought the issue through.

"There's a huge number of the population that really doesn't care," he said. "So they go to a spiritual adviser. It's not as though they've looked at the evidence and decided evolution is wrong."

I think this is the case for many people who discuss evolution on internet forums (this one included). It's clear that the people don't care beyond finding some non-scientific crap to bolster their belief system.

kjk437 · 08-11-2007, 09:44 PM

40% of Americans reject evolution... Wow, I had honestly expected the number to be around 25%, but never to be that bad... I understand the uneducated point they're trying to make, but that number is still way too staggeringly high.

duck · 08-11-2007, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjk437

40% of Americans reject evolution... Wow, I had honestly expected the number to be around 25%, but never to be that bad... I understand the uneducated point they're trying to make, but that number is still way too staggeringly high.

It would seem that true literacy is yet to be achieved in this country.

harleylove · 08-11-2007, 10:25 PM

Great article Og.

It's funny that the man in the email made the claim about the complexity of the eye and relating it to God. The complexity of the Universe is one of the key things that makes me reject religion.

I would love to go to that museum.