Science and the American Public ↦

In stark contrast to that last poll, a recent survey by the Pew Research Center about the relationship between Science and the American Public gives us some detail about how the poll was conducted:

The survey of opinions about the state of science and its impact on society was conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. The survey of the general public was conducted on landlines and cell phones among 2,001 adults April 28-May 12; the online survey of scientists was conducted among a sample of 2,533 members of the AAAS from May 1-June 14. Science knowledge questions were included in a separate survey of the general public, conducted on landlines and cell phones among 1,005 adults June 18-21.

Sections 4 and 5 were the most interesting, I thought. Among the scientists polled, 97% accept evolution, 84% believe that the Earth is warming due to human activity and only 33% believe in God. Among the non-scientists polled, 61% accept evolution, 49% believe that the Earth is warming due to human activity and 83% believe in God. In spite of these marked contrasts, 84% of the non-scientists polled had a positive impression of science generally. While I’m glad that so many view science positively, I can’t help but notice the disconnect between that impression and the willingness to accept what science, based on research and evidence, has to say about evolution and global warming.