As Stephen Colbert once said, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." Turns out those who study reality, aka, scientists, do too: http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1549 On evolution: On climate change:
It's very complex. They make a lot of sense but I really have a hard time believing the big bang theory. I also don't believe in organized religion. I'm stuck in the middle.
Thanks for those numbers, mook. As an engineer with a pretty decent science background, it makes me pause a bit. One of the hypotheses that I've developed since becoming a Christian that's somewhat related to this is that many scientists/researchers are pretty intelligent folks, and have been accustomed to being told that their entire lives. It lends itself very easily to a worldview where we control our lives and actions through our industry and intelligence, and you can think through anything. It doesn't lend itself to a religio-spiritual worldview where you believe that an Intelligent Imaginary Friend created the earth (whether in 6 days or 5B years) and we exist to glorify the IIF and enjoy/be stewards of that creation. It's one of the struggles I've gone/am going through personally.
I'm assuming that this poll was on social issues, not economic ones. Not believing in God doesn't mean you don't believe in a free market.
Yep. Not sure what effect that has on the results - certainly there must be some non-scientists who sign up for AAAS membership. No idea how many. barfo
Doesn't seem to discuss economic issues much. Although scientific funding, stem cell research and climate change certainly have economic aspects.
He is a member of the other AAAS (American Academy of Arts and Sciences), don't know about this AAAS. barfo
I don't know why this stupid claim persists. From Snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp
'Nuff said for those that don't actually give a shit about the truth, just want to criticize and mock.
You've never heard of a running gag? Nobody actually believes that Gore believed (or claimed) that he invented the Internet. But because he chose his words poorly, he left himself open to (good-natured, at least in my case) ribbing. I bet if you walked up to him and mentioned it, he'd get a chuckle out of it.
scientists reject religious belief at a higher rate than the average person does because they care about objective evidence a lot more than the average person does, not because being told they're intelligent all their lives lends itself to an egocentric worldview.