October 10, 2002	Contact:	Susan Griffith
					Senior Media Relations Representative
					216-368-1004
					sbg4@po.cwru.edu


CWRU FACULTY REPORT FINDINGS
ON EVOLUTION, INTELLIGENT DESIGN POLL OF OHIO'S SCIENTISTS


CLEVELAND--Nine out 10 Ohio scientists from secular and religious colleges and
universities responding to a survey say that intelligent design is primarily a 
religious view and not part of science.  Case Western Reserve University faculty 
reported on the findings of the Internet poll during a news conference Thursday, 
October 10.

"This is the first time we have hard data on what Ohio's scientists think about 
the issue of intelligent design versus evolution," says Joseph Koonce, CWRU chair 
and professor of biology. 

Koonce designed the Internet survey with the Internet Public Opinion Laboratory 
at the University of Cincinnati.  He sent out e-mail messages around the state 
to faculty in departments of astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics and 
other natural sciences, urging them to answer a set of questions and to give their 
thoughts about the evolution-intelligent design debate.  The survey was conducted 
between September 26 and October 9.  

Prior to polling the scientists, the Institute for Policy Research at the 
University of Cincinnati included questions on the September Ohio Poll (conducted 
September 4-15) about intelligent design, asking the general public to respond to 
a similar Internet poll on their views of intelligent design and evolution.  Like 
the scientists, a clear majority of Ohio residents found intelligent design to be 
religious, and not a scientific view.

Findings from the polls, come days before the State Board of Education faces the 
issue at its meeting on next Monday on whether to include intelligent design or 
other forms of anti-evolutionism in the new K-12 science standards.  Intelligent 
design advocates claim life is too complex to have developed without the 
intervention of a supernatural being or force, and they claim their view is 
scientific.

Most all of Ohio's science professors (92%) thought "Ohio high school students 
should be tested on their understanding of the basic principles of the theory of 
evolution in order to graduate."  Scientist responded negatively (90%) to the 
testing about the knowledge of "intelligent design" as a requirement to graduate.

The survey also explored scientists' views on antievolutionism beyond the 
intelligent design movement.  Some critics of evolution claim evidence against 
the theory of evolution has caused it to fall out of favor among scientists.  This 
is clearly not the case in Ohio where the vast majority (93%) of science professors 
said they were not award of "any scientifically valid evidence or an alternative 
scientific theory that challenges the fundamental principles of the theory of 
evolution."

Finally, the survey investigated the popular theme of a war between science and 
religion in America and found no such conflict.  The great majority of Ohio science 
professors (84%) thought that accepting the theory of evolution was "consistent 
with believing in God."  Only nine percent thought it was not; and the rest (7%)  
were not sure.  Most critics of teaching evolution in Ohio's schools commonly assume 
it is inconsistent with believing in God.  Evidently, most of Ohio's science 
professors-those who understand the theory of evolution best-do not share that view.

Among the survey's findings were:

	Nine out of 10 scientists (91%) felt the concept of intelligent 
	design was unscientific and the same number responded that it was 
	a religious view

	A vast majority (93%) of the scientists were not aware of "any 
	scientifically valid evidence or an alternate scientific theory that 
	challenges the fundamental principles of the theory of evolution"

	Almost all scientists (97%) said they did not use the intelligent 
	design concept in their research

	Ninety percent of the responding scientists stated that they felt 
	no scientific evidence supports intelligent design, while 2% were 
	unsure 

	Approximately 7% felt that intelligent design had some support from 
	scientific evidence

	Some 84% felt acceptance of the evolution theory was "consistent with 
	believing in God"

A total of 460 professors responded or a rate of 31%.  The survey had an error of plus 
or minus 4.5%.  "We are extremely pleased with the response," says Koonce

For further information, call Koonce at 216-368-3561.