To the editor:

Wednesday’s (Sept. 7) editorial and the recent creation-evolution polls are framed in a way that completely misses the central points of the argument. The issue is not that some people believe in creation and some believe in evolution. No one should “believe” in evolution in the same sense that they believe in their religion. Evolution is a science. Scientific knowledge should always be taken as provisional, subject to change when new evidence comes along. Scientists and science educators do not want anyone to “believe” in evolution, but rather to understand the theory and to understand why scientists accept it as the best explanation of how species developed over time.

Scientists get upset with creationists when they try to blur the distinction between science and religion, when they repeatedly assert things that are factually incorrect about science and when they try to distort the science curriculum in public schools in order to promote narrow religious views. That’s what the fuss is about.

That professional journalists and pollsters can so miss the point reflects on the poor state of science education in this country.

Philip Baringer,

Lawrence