Why Do Polls Matter in the Creation-Evolution Debate?
When it comes to controversies involving science and public policy, public opinion as reflected in survey results serve several important functions. Polls are one way for decision-makers to consult the public about policy, reassuring the public that at some level their opinion counts, and that science-related decision making is not simply dominated by technocrats and scientists. In this sense, polls about science policy reinforce the purpose of democracy, namely that elected officials, interest groups, and (even) scientists need public support for their purposed actions. Surveys also provide important governing information for elected officials, sometimes serving as a possible catalyst for policy change, or at other times helping to set the boundaries for what elected officials can and cannot do. Interest groups often take advantage of ambiguous poll results to claim that the public is on their side. At other times they commission their own less-than-rigorous surveys in order to obtain
