smrtmama Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 My BIL sent DH a link to a conference on geocentrism and for the life of me, I cannot tell if it is meant to be real or if it's a spoof/prank/joke. I know there's a lot of disparity of belief on this forum, so maybe someone can answer this question for me: Are there really people who still believe in geocentrism? Do people genuinely still believe the Earth is standing still at the center of the universe, and that everything rotates around it? Not in a metaphorical or symbolic sense, but in a literal, physical sense? Or is this conference thing meant to be a mean joke made at the expense of people who believe in a literal Bible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 According to Wikipedia: Polls conducted by Gallup in the 1990s have found that 16% of Germans, 18% of Americans and 19% of Britons hold that the Sun revolves around the Earth wow. 18% is a lot. Okay, following the link, though, it looks as if it's not so much that 18% of Americans have thought this whole thing through carefully and decided they believe the Sun revolves around the Earth....it's that that's how many people just haven't ever learned that it doesn't. I'm not sure that that's better or anything, but it's different. I'm going to have to go read the whole Wikipedia entry now. Fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 x-post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 I went to wiki on Geocentric Model and found out this: Polls conducted by Gallup in the 1990s has found that 16% of Germans, 18% of Americans and 19% of Britons hold that the Sun revolves around the Earth.[25] A study done in 2005 by Dr. Jon D. Miller of Northwestern University, an expert in the public understanding of science and technology,[26] found that one adult American in five thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth.[27] Do you think they really think that (the one in five Americans) in opposition to scientific evidence, like a faith-based thing, or do you think that was a matter of when they were asked, they blanked on elementary school science and just answered incorrectly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skadi Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I'm familiar with those studies, but I've always hoped that it was a belief they held out of ignorance (not that they actually read books or went to conferences on the subject). Hrm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 According to Wikipedia: wow. 18% is a lot. Okay, following the link, though, it looks as if it's not so much that 18% of Americans have thought this whole thing through carefully and decided they believe the Sun revolves around the Earth....it's that that's how many people just haven't ever learned that it doesn't. I'm not sure that that's better or anything, but it's different. I'm going to have to go read the whole Wikipedia entry now. Fascinating! Jinx. Same thought, two different brains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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