Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Americans and Evolution

A recent Gallup poll shows that One Third of Americans Say Evidence Has Supported Darwin's Evolution Theory, the same number who also believe that every word of the Bible is literally true. Another third say it is one of many theories and is not supported by the evidence.

I was surprised to see that George Gilder, normally a pretty thoughtful guy, is one of those.

A lot of people interpret this as more proof that Americans are stupid, but I disagree. Americans are skeptics, far more suspicious of "the establishment" than you might think. How many people who consider themselves to be "open-minded" or "scientific" can really explain the principles of Evolution? Admit it, you can't explain natural selection at a microbiological level, and you ultimately rely on your trust that the "experts" are right. This Gallup poll just says that one third of Americans want a little more proof before they blindly trust "experts".

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