25% of Americans Unaware Earth Orbits the Sun
Posted by Center7978 10 years, 9 months ago to Education
What an embarrassment ! 25% This country has some really big issues if, after all this time and 12 years of free education, such a large percentage of us is really this uninformed. As much as I love this country, in many cases we are not a shining example for other peoples to emulate.
Why does this happen? Lots of kids. All have to graduate. All are "winners". All are "owed" stuff. ==> Have to lower the bar again.
Another thing I noticed is at the end,
"Nearly 90 percent said the benefits of science outweigh any dangers"
While the question is vague,(*what kind of science, to *what purpose, and versus *what kind of danger)the fact that people are so trusting of such broad definitions, and would agree with such a vague generalized statement like that, is some-what troubling. Talk about an uninformed sanction of something that is clearly above them. People who are unaware of simple astronomical oddities such as the Earth orbiting around the sun, should not have any say on whether or not *all* scientific benefit outweighs *all* dangers, or be given legitimacy to what they think about government spending for said scientific experimentation.
Does that make sense to anyone? I'm still working on my first cup of coffee.
I didn't home school my children but I did work with them to show them the wider variety of learning and knowledge available.
Both are now out and working. One is an architect the other a homeland security specialist.
The grand children are still in school. I try to work with them when I can without causing them issues in school. It is difficult So much PC in the schools now.
We nolonger have an education system, we have an indoctrination system.
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14...
The study in question is in Chapter 7:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14...
Americans correctly answered 5.8 out of 9 factual knowledge questions in 2012, a score similar to those in recent years.
A survey experiment showed that 48% of respondents said they thought it was true that “human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals,” but 72% gave this response when the same statement was prefaced by “according to the theory of evolution.” Similarly, 39% of respondents said that “the universe began with a huge explosion,” but 60% gave this response when the statement was prefaced by “according to astronomers.”
Levels of factual knowledge in the United States are comparable to those in Europe and are generally higher than levels in countries in other parts of the world.
Americans with more formal education do better on science knowledge questions.
Men do better on questions focused on the physical sciences, but there are few differences between men and women in terms of responses to questions focused on the biological sciences.
(and more there)
Let me ask you: How would you prove that the Earth goes around the Sun? I assume that you are going to turn to Google because you do not know the answer off the top of your head. The surgeon who saves your life might not know, either. The proof is not common knowledge, even among highly educated people.
More subtly, of course, the Earth does not "go around the Sun" except in the simplistic sense that we also speak of "sunrise" and "sunset." And, technically, the best cartographers on Earth will tell you that we could be at the center of the universe for all the difference it makes when you drive, sail, or even fly, from one place to another on Earth.
Just sayin'...