[quote=Hobjob;503372]
re- the original Lancet Wakefiled study
IIRC there were twelve authors. All except one (guess who?)
have
publicly retracted their opinions and give no credance
to the study at all.
The Lancet has publicly stated similar.
On a closed scientific forum where I also lurk, there is frequent
moaning about the lack of interest
and lack of insight and
understanding of most of the media to scientific stories.
At a slight tangent, radio 4 this morning was quoting figures from an as
yes unpublished study from St John's, Durham, some amazing
statistics about the ignorance of the public for the major Bible stories.
75% own a Bible
But
9% do not know Whitsun is
85% do not know the significance of Advent calendars
57% do not know about Josph and his banishmentto Egypt - even one the interviewed had seen the musical!
Sadly the UK is well dummed down. Even if not professing Christiantiy
surely we should have greater understanding of our cultural heritage?[/QUOTE]
i fail to see why an absence of interest in a book of myths written between the 4th and 6th centuries in order to control the peasants. has absolutely anything at all to do with a dumbing down of the general populace.
on the other hand the abject lack of understanding of scientific methodology and practice combined with the hysterical reactions displayed to pseudo scientific theories most certainly does.