What causes people to reject the fact of evolution? A new study from Brigham Young University suggests that rejection of evolution has little or nothing to do with a person’s ignorance of the science or their ability to reason scientifically. In other words, one can be very fluent in science and still reject evolution, or just as easily one can be relatively helpless in a science class and still accept evolution. So what gives? The researchers say that the key issue is identity and that in order to encourage religious believers to accept evolution, the facts themselves will never be enough.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.In other words people believe what they want to believe, or what their tribe believes. Logic and reason have not much to do with it. I know that is true for a lot of people. However, I would like to know more about this study? How big was the pool of respondents? What were the actual questions that were asked? What were the final numbers? Where were the participants located? If they were mostly in Utah that would probably skew the results.
Flyingsaucesir
Level 8
Aug 2, 2018
1
I wouldn't believe anything from Brigham Young University.
WandaElaine
Level 2
Aug 2, 2018
2
You lost me at Brigham Young ?
jujuofthesea
Level 7
Aug 1, 2018
2
Indeed! Although, consider how a man with 55 wives and 59 children might effect the gene pool! 
I think people have a hard time with the idea that we're all animals. People think that we're better because we have the ability to reason and judge "right from wrong." Humans are smart but that's very subjective because we don't have a collective idea about what other animals are capable of. What we lack, other animals make up for, and many of the ones that scientists have have studied have sentience and self awareness. As smart as humans are, not all of us have achieved much other than operate inventions that the brilliant and remarkable people in the population have created.
mek7730
Level 7
Aug 1, 2018
1
I'm not religious, however I have never completely believed in evolution. Evolution within a species has been proven over and over again. Evolution from one species to another (in my opinion) hasn't.
I do keep an open mind and wait for that evidence.
kiramea
Level 7
Aug 1, 2018
1
One of the definitions of a species is the inability to interbreed. Evolutionary biologists have catalogued a number of Ring Species, whereby the genes of an animal—such as a salamander, for example—are altered gradually over time and, more importantly distance (or change in habitat), such that, while the adjacent genetically altered and physically dissimilar examples may procreate, by the time they arrive at the bottom of the ring, these animals cannot breed with their counterparts on either side of the ring (or now-closed horseshoe), not to mention the animals at the top—speciation has occurred. Just one, relatively recent development supporting evolution in a list of findings that is extensive.
One is compelled to ask, in the absence of religion, what is preventing you from accepting the theory of evolution, which even Catholics acknowledge? What do you believe the evidence points to?
@powder To be fair, even facts can change. Pluto was the ninth planet, the Earth has 4 oceans, the expansion of the universe is slowing down, the more complex the organism the more genetic material it has, and too much alcohol will kill your brain cells, were facts of science that we were once taught, and are no longer held to be true. As the brilliant philosopher of science, Karl Popper, observed, "All knowledge is provisional, temporary, capable of refutation at any moment." Note that no exclusion is given for facts here. This is what, among several key attributes, sets science apart from religion—the willingness to reexamine fundamental concepts and discard, where appropriate, accepted theories, laws and facts.
@powder Thanks for the correction. I had completely forgotten about that. What I was trying to say (very poorly at that), is that it's very hard for me to believe that everything came from the same one celled organism. My father tried to explain that most humans don't comprehend 4.5 billion years of mutation; which is probably right but I still have a hard time with it.
We're all just really really tribal and people don't want to be kicked out of their tribe.
seaspot_run
Level 7
Aug 1, 2018
2
I think people struggle to accept that we are just animals and not something totally unique and special.
GwenC
Level 7
Aug 1, 2018
4
Xena:
Nope...humans are quite unique...we are the most destructive, selfish parasites on this planet...of no earthly good ...barbarians with a big brain...animals are far more civilized
trump supporters and many, many religious people have a very casual relationship with facts
Xena
Level 6
Aug 1, 2018
5
Xena:
@Humanistheathen I'm sayin' they're not nearly as facted up as they should be! :>
Xena:
@Humanistheathen ...that's a fact
Xena:
@SpikeTalon no comparison to trump supporters and fundamentalists...they are extreme. There's a bit of everything in every group but these folks are extreme and dangerously casual
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