Democracy is a great thing (the least worse system of governance as I think Churchill claimed). So it's interesting to read that a majority of 'voters' in a Times poll apparently do not believe that humans have any responsibility for climate change (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6916648.ece). Even weirder, the UK political party for whom the individual is likely to vote is said to influence their 'decision'. I can't help remembering that, in a survey of people who claimed to be interested in science (to that the extent that they watched such programmes on TV), as many people thought that the sun went around the Earth as vice versa; most thought that humans and dinosaurs were on the planet at the same time; a massive majority thought you could cure a viral infection with an antibiotic and that you could make radioactive milk safe by boiling it! And we are surprised about the results of a 'democratic' survey of the general population on something as complex as probable climate change?
This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Voters and Science
Democracy is a great thing (the least worse system of governance as I think Churchill claimed). So it's interesting to read that a majority of 'voters' in a Times poll apparently do not believe that humans have any responsibility for climate change (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6916648.ece). Even weirder, the UK political party for whom the individual is likely to vote is said to influence their 'decision'. I can't help remembering that, in a survey of people who claimed to be interested in science (to that the extent that they watched such programmes on TV), as many people thought that the sun went around the Earth as vice versa; most thought that humans and dinosaurs were on the planet at the same time; a massive majority thought you could cure a viral infection with an antibiotic and that you could make radioactive milk safe by boiling it! And we are surprised about the results of a 'democratic' survey of the general population on something as complex as probable climate change?
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