A scientist that is an atheist, how novel is that? Turns out, not very.
According to the statistics scientists as a group are more likely to be
atheists than any other group. They are also the most highly educated
group.
Conversely, the most ignorant and uneducated people are also the most
likely
to believe in god, the stronger the belief in god the more ignorant and
uneducated they are. For example, when the Tsunami hit last year the most
primitive and ignorant people living on the most remote islands told
reporters that the Tsunami was caused by the spirit of the ocean being
angry
with people so the wave was their punishment. That's just the kind of
thinking I expect from Gunner and friends. I'm sure he has a strong
belief
in god too.

The most recent survey that I recall found scientists about
split between belief and non-belief. I recall it to be
something like 60/40 against. In any event, a belief in
a universal creator of some sort does not prevent the
application of scientific methods.

There are however two inherent problems with this and
similar surveys...

1. "Scientist" is seldom defined or held to specific
parameters.

2. "Educated" is also seldom defined or held to specific
parameters.

Historically and I think academically, education assumes
a significant and formal immersion in the liberal arts and not
simply an advanced degree or the amount of time one spends in a
technical training. Yet it has become commonplace to use
"education", particularly as it pertains to science, as a
superlative, a symbol of superiority.

So, who are the surveyors speaking to? What exactly are
they measuring? Are they walking into a university
science lab and assuming that everyone there in a white
coat is the same? Do they interview field geologists
for oil companies, or dentists?

Is a PhD in theoretical physics better educated than a
BA? Certainly much would depend on the type of school
and it's focus but all other factors being equal I'd
say not.

Your comments about the validity of statistics regarding who's a scientist
or what does "educated" mean are noteworthy. As is the case of any
statistical concept, it's only a means of presenting a true picture of the
world and it doesn't always do that well. Rather than looking at who's
educated or who's a scientist to determine the views those people have about
god, there is a much simpler way to approach the question. How about what do
the least educated, most ignorant, and backward, superstitious people think
about god, spirits, and the supernatural?

I think that it's common knowledge that with that kind of person a belief in
god and the supernatural is universally accepted. In fact, you'll have a
hard time finding an atheist in the bunch. Conversely, the relationship
between a belief in god or the supernatural and the level of a person's
education and intellect is an inverse one. Thus, the greater one's education
level and the higher a person's intellect the less likely they are to
believe in god. I think that's what I said in the first place, just in a
different way.

Hawke