Level of support for evolution

The level of support for evolution among scientists, the public, and other groups is a topic that frequently arises in the creation–evolution controversy, and touches on educational, religious, philosophical, scientific, and political issues. The subject is especially contentious in countries where significant levels of non-acceptance of evolution by the general population exists, but evolution is taught at public schools and universities.

As of 2014^[update], nearly all (around 98%) of the scientific community accepts evolution as the dominant scientific theory of biological diversity^[1] with, as of 2009^[update], some 87% accepting that evolution occurs due to natural processes, such as natural selection.^[2] Scientific associations have strongly rebutted and refuted the challenges to evolution proposed by intelligent design proponents.^[3]

There are many religious groups and denominations spread across several countries who reject the theory of evolution because it is in conflict with their central belief of creationism. For example, countries having such groups include the United States,^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] South Africa,^[10] India, the Muslim world, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and Brazil, with smaller followings in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Japan, Italy, Germany, Israel,^[11] Australia,^[12] New Zealand,^[13] and Canada.^[14]

Several publications discuss the subject of acceptance,^[15]^[16] including a document produced by the United States National Academy of Sciences.^[17]

^ "For Darwin Day, 6 facts about the evolution debate". 11 February 2019.
^ Cite error: The named reference pew was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Ruling, Kitzmiller v. Dover page 83: "an overwhelming number of scientists, as reflected by every scientific association that has spoken on the matter, have rejected the ID proponents’ challenge to evolution."
^ Noah, Timothy (2000-10-31). "George W. Bush, The Last Relativist". Slate. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ Pyke, Nicholas (2004-06-13). "Revealed: Tony Blair's link to schools that take the Creation literally". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.; full article at Ohanian, Susan. "Outrages". Archived from the original on 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ Meinert, Peer. "Wir drehen die Uhr um 1000 Jahre zurück ("We put the clock back a 1000 years")" (in German). Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ "Serbia reverses Darwin suspension" (stm). BBC News. 2004-09-09. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ "And finally." Warsaw Business Journal. 2006-12-18. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ Gunnink, Frans; Bell, Philip (2005-06-07). "Creation commotion in Dutch Parliament". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-10-23.; Enserink, Martin (2005-06-03). "Evolution politics: Is Holland becoming the Kansas of Europe?". Science. 308 (5727): 1394. doi:10.1126/science.308.5727.1394b. PMID 15933170. S2CID 153515231.
^ "Worldwide creationism, Shotgun stunner, and more". New Scientist. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
^ Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). Galileo goes to jail: and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. pp. 221–223. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6.
^ Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Antievolutionists in Australia celebrated in August 2005, when the minister of education, a Christian physician named Brendan Nelson, came out in favor of exposing students both to evollution and ID...
^ Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. pp. 217, 279. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Three years later the New Zealand Listener surprised many of its readers by announcing that "God and Darwin are still battling it out in New Zealand schools."
^ Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Writing in 2000, one observer claimed that "there are possibly more creationists per capita in Canada than in any other Western country apart from US."
^ McCollister, Betty (1989). Voices for evolution. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Science Education. ISBN 978-0-939873-51-7.
^ Matsumura, Molleen (1995). Voices for evolution. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Science Education. ISBN 978-0-939873-53-1.
^ Working Group on Teaching Evolution, National Academy of Sciences (1998). Teaching about evolution and the nature of science. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press. ISBN 978-0-309-06364-7.; available on-line: United States National Academy of Sciences (1998). Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (ebook). Washington DC: National Academy Press. doi:10.17226/5787. ISBN 978-0-309-06364-7. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[1] "For Darwin Day, 6 facts about the evolution debate". 11 February 2019.

[pew-2] Cite error: The named reference pew was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[dover_pg83-3] Ruling, Kitzmiller v. Dover page 83: "an overwhelming number of scientists, as reflected by every scientific association that has spoken on the matter, have rejected the ID proponents’ challenge to evolution."

[4] Noah, Timothy (2000-10-31). "George W. Bush, The Last Relativist". Slate. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[5] Pyke, Nicholas (2004-06-13). "Revealed: Tony Blair's link to schools that take the Creation literally". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.; full article at Ohanian, Susan. "Outrages". Archived from the original on 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[6] Meinert, Peer. "Wir drehen die Uhr um 1000 Jahre zurück ("We put the clock back a 1000 years")" (in German). Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[7] "Serbia reverses Darwin suspension" (stm). BBC News. 2004-09-09. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[8] "And finally." Warsaw Business Journal. 2006-12-18. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[9] Gunnink, Frans; Bell, Philip (2005-06-07). "Creation commotion in Dutch Parliament". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-10-23.; Enserink, Martin (2005-06-03). "Evolution politics: Is Holland becoming the Kansas of Europe?". Science. 308 (5727): 1394. doi:10.1126/science.308.5727.1394b. PMID 15933170. S2CID 153515231.

[NS-WorldwideCreationism-10] "Worldwide creationism, Shotgun stunner, and more". New Scientist. Retrieved 2010-05-24.

[Galileo_goes_to_jail-11] Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). Galileo goes to jail: and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. pp. 221–223. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6.

[12] Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Antievolutionists in Australia celebrated in August 2005, when the minister of education, a Christian physician named Brendan Nelson, came out in favor of exposing students both to evollution and ID...

[13] Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. pp. 217, 279. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Three years later the New Zealand Listener surprised many of its readers by announcing that "God and Darwin are still battling it out in New Zealand schools."

[14] Numbers, Ronald L. (2009). "Myth 24: That Creationism is a Uniquely American Phenomenon". Galileo goes to jail and other myths about science and religion. Cambridge and London: Harward University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-674-03327-6. Retrieved 2011-09-03. Writing in 2000, one observer claimed that "there are possibly more creationists per capita in Canada than in any other Western country apart from US."

[15] McCollister, Betty (1989). Voices for evolution. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Science Education. ISBN 978-0-939873-51-7.

[16] Matsumura, Molleen (1995). Voices for evolution. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Science Education. ISBN 978-0-939873-53-1.

[NASteaching-17] Working Group on Teaching Evolution, National Academy of Sciences (1998). Teaching about evolution and the nature of science. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press. ISBN 978-0-309-06364-7.; available on-line: United States National Academy of Sciences (1998). Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (ebook). Washington DC: National Academy Press. doi:10.17226/5787. ISBN 978-0-309-06364-7. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

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