26% of Americans Believe The Sun Revolves Around the Earth (1 Viewer)

[jon_mx]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

Says the self proclaimed "Independent".

Sure, buddy, you're "Independent".

I am. its not my fault that republicans these days make themselves the easiest targets.

But you have zero facts to back up any of your assertions. You come into thread after thread after thread and just assume it is all Republicans who get things wrong. I would guess the spread on many of these questions are pretty similar between parties. If you really think you are independent, you are more clueless than the people answering these questions wrong.

 

[jamny]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

 

[MaxThreshold]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

Says the self proclaimed "Independent".

Sure, buddy, you're "Independent".

I am. its not my fault that republicans these days make themselves the easiest targets.

But you have zero facts to back up any of your assertions. You come into thread after thread after thread and just assume it is all Republicans who get things wrong. I would guess the spread on many of these questions are pretty similar between parties. If you really think you are independent, you are more clueless than the people answering these questions wrong.

<startHijack>



Literally EVERY post he makes he disparages conservatives, but then claims he's independent.

</endHijack>

 

[Schlzm]

If you consider the fact the the Earth spends more time closer to the center of the galaxy than the sun does and that our solar system is rotating on the outer disk...

Schlzm

 

[NCCommish]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

My guess is people misunderstood the question or misheard. There is no way that something in the neighborhood of 60 million Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

 

[avoiding injuries]

I know most people are morons, but it's always depressing to hear it stated in factual terms.

Tim, shut the #### up already. Not every thread has to be about you and your obsessions.

Sounds like some people around here are getting touchy, which is quite understandable. Personally I'd be embarrasses to be skeptical of man made global warming.

You might be the most polite AND condescending poster on this site. It is remarkable.

I try to be polite all the time, but Im only condescending to people who are rude to me (like telling me to shut the #### up).

Actually, the 2nd post in this thread is where it started, but you knew that.

 

[jon_mx]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

 

[lod01]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

My guess is people misunderstood the question or misheard. There is no way that something in the neighborhood of 60 million Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Did a little googling. 18% in 2008 and like 33% in a 2011 survey. Yep, there are that many morons floating around the US.

 

[Fennis]

I saw John Oliver recently and he did a bit about Congress having a 10% approval rating. He said it should be lower, but polls don't take into account sarcasm

"Sure..... I think congress is doing a wonderful job,"

 

[tonydead]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

Please stop my stomach hurts.............

 

[Schlzm]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

My guess is people misunderstood the question or misheard. There is no way that something in the neighborhood of 60 million Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Did a little googling. 18% in 2008 and like 33% in a 2011 survey. Yep, there are that many morons floating around the US.

All you really need to prove this is watch the late night shows around any election or major sporting event. Even if people aren't straight up stupid, they lie to avoid being embarrased about not knowing what the person with the microphone and camera is talking about. Schlzm

 

[bigbottom]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

But even taking into account our galaxy, or system of galaxies in the larger universe, doesn't the earth still orbit the sun? After all, an object can orbit another object that is in motion, just like the moon orbits earth. Of course, I'm not a science guy, so perhaps I'm way off here.

 

[joffer]

Things like this really make me believe we should have some sort of test before people can vote.

while fewer than half (48 percent) knew that human beings developed from earlier species of animals.

DrJ's beeper just went off.

We really need the science guy in here to settle this

 

[jamny]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

But even taking into account our galaxy, or system of galaxies in the larger universe, doesn't the earth still orbit the sun? After all, an object can orbit another object that is in motion, just like the moon orbits earth. Of course, I'm not a science guy, so perhaps I'm way off here.

From the perspective on earth, I can believe people believing the sun revolves around the earth. Any place off the planet would show that to not be true.

 

[oso diablo]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

you might be surprised at the cross-tabs

 

[tonydead]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

 

[NCCommish]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

Really explains a lot.

 

[jon_mx]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

Please stop my stomach hurts.............

I suppose you could argue with Stephen Hawking on the subject if you wish:

A famous example of different pictures of reality is the model introduced around A.D. 150 by Ptolemy (ca. 85–ca. 165) to describe the motion of the celestial bodies. Ptolemy published his work in a treatise explaining reasons for thinking that the earth is spherical, motionless, positioned at the center of the universe, and negligibly small in comparison to the distance of the heavens.

This model seemed natural because we don't feel the earth under our feet moving (except in earthquakes or moments of passion). Ptolemy's model of the cosmos was adopted by the Catholic Church and held as official doctrine for fourteen hundred years. It was not until 1543 that an alternative model was put forward by Copernicus. So which is real? Although it is not uncommon for people to say Copernicus proved Ptolemy wrong, that is not true. As in the case of the goldfish, one can use either picture as a model of the universe. The real advantage of the Copernican system is that the mathematics is much simpler in the frame of reference in which the sun is at rest.

Read more: Book Excerpt: Stephen Hawking's 'The Grand Design' - TIME http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2017262,00.html#ixzz2tbljIvHG

 

[NCCommish]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

But even taking into account our galaxy, or system of galaxies in the larger universe, doesn't the earth still orbit the sun? After all, an object can orbit another object that is in motion, just like the moon orbits earth. Of course, I'm not a science guy, so perhaps I'm way off here.

Yes it does, regardless of viewpoint,

 

[tonydead]

 

[oso diablo]

not sure if this is the same survey, but can download a paper here that shows breakdown by political affinity. Last couple of pages of the PDF.

Table 10

Knowing the Earth Revolves Around the Sun & It Take a Year by Political Group, 2012

NORC GSS 2012

Top 3 groups

Conservative Republican - 67.3%

Liberal Independent - 67.2%

Liberal Democrat - 64.0%

Bottom 3 groups

Moderate Republican - 44.1%

Moderate Democrat - 42.7%

Conservative Democrat - 27.1%

 

[Flying V]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

My guess is people misunderstood the question or misheard. There is no way that something in the neighborhood of 60 million Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Did a little googling. 18% in 2008 and like 33% in a 2011 survey. Yep, there are that many morons floating around the US.

So they are like boat people?

 

[jon_mx]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

 

[NCCommish]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

You fail to comprehend that the question has one right answer.

 

[Schlzm]

People are stupid? I'm shocked.

My guess is people misunderstood the question or misheard. There is no way that something in the neighborhood of 60 million Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Did a little googling. 18% in 2008 and like 33% in a 2011 survey. Yep, there are that many morons floating around the US.

So they are like boat people?

http://bookishmeanderings.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/vladimirharkonnen.jpg

 

[bigbottom]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

 

[Sand]

not sure if this is the same survey, but can download a paper here that shows breakdown by political affinity. Last couple of pages of the PDF.

Table 10

Knowing the Earth Revolves Around the Sun & It Take a Year by Political Group, 2012

NORC GSS 2012

Top 3 groups

Conservative Republican - 67.3%

Liberal Independent - 67.2%

Liberal Democrat - 64.0%

Bottom 3 groups

Moderate Republican - 44.1%

Moderate Democrat - 42.7%

Conservative Democrat - 27.1%

Not surprising at all.

 

[Schlzm]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

Everything is flat if you magnify it enough times, that is of course until it isn't.Schlzm

 

[lod01]

What about independent Intependent?

 

[tonydead]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

Jon, I don't disagree with most of what you wrote literally. I just think it's hilarious that you are using the reason people before the 16th Century thought the sun orbited around the earth to defend why people today answer the question wrong.

I imagine you like early cave men must have been with fire. At some point they knew just enough about fire, to well, light themselves on fire.

 

[tonydead]

What about independent Intependent?

Or Liberal Republican.

 

[ArbyMelt]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

Says the self proclaimed "Independent".

Sure, buddy, you're "Independent".

I am. its not my fault that republicans these days make themselves the easiest targets.

Scoresman = Todd Andrews, but his keyboard doesn't have a K when using the Scoresman alias.

 

[jon_mx]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

But even taking into account our galaxy, or system of galaxies in the larger universe, doesn't the earth still orbit the sun? After all, an object can orbit another object that is in motion, just like the moon orbits earth. Of course, I'm not a science guy, so perhaps I'm way off here.

Yes it does, regardless of viewpoint,

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

 

[msommer]

It says they think highly of scientists. But when the subject is global warming, apparently there is a significant chunk of our population who watches Fox News and believes that most scientists are engaged in a world wide conspiracy of lies.

Yes, because the question of something figured out 400 years ago is the same as one in which 1000+ technical papers are delivered each year (and they're still getting it wrong). Spot on analogy.

ETA: Just as a note what the OP indicated in the title really isn't what was reported. It just indicates that 25% of the populace are ignorant. Not that they are Copernicus haters.

On the other hand twice as many did not grasp the concept of evolution. Is that then that 52% are ignorant? Some would say yes.

 

[James Daulton]

I think we really do underestimate the stupidity of the American public. Just watch your local news when there are interviews with local people "on the scene" of some news-making event. It's staggering how so many people can't string thoughts together. Also look at this country's obsession with celebrity like the Kardashians, Jersey Shore, etc.

I bet that Mike Judge isn't far off in Idiocracy.

 

[bigbottom]

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

 

[cstu]

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

Good grief, jon.

 

[jon_mx]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

It does not appear flat.

 

[bigbottom]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

It does not appear flat.

Sure it does. I'm looking out my window right now. From my viewpoint, the Earth appears flat. Does that make it flat?

 

[jon_mx]

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

As Stephen Hawking pointed out in the above quote, it is not wrong to model it that way.

 

[jon_mx]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

It does not appear flat.

Sure it does. I'm looking out my window right now. From my viewpoint, the Earth appears flat. Does that make it flat?

If it was flat, there would not be horizons.

 

[The Football Freak]

I think survey fatigue could be coloring the data. Hardly a day goes by where I'm not solicited to take part in some survey or another. This is on top of all the other data collection that takes place via social media and various "club" cards. I wonder if it's possible for a survey to get near 100% agreement on any fact based question.

If there were a lot if questions and people were just trying to get it over with as quick as possible, there could be a decent amount that misread the question. It's pretty common for students in class to mix up this they know because they were in a hurry, misread or just had a brainfart.

Or they could be correct and the question is poor. From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us. From the perspective of other locations in our solar system, it would appear the sun is relatively stationary and the earth spins and orbits around the sun.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us. If you center your coordinate system in the center of the solar system it would clearly be the earth revolving around the sun. But if you move out further in our galaxy or even further into the universe into the system of galaxies, the movement becomes much more complex than simply the earth revolving around the sun. Unless the perspective is define, there is potentially some ambiguity to the answer.

But even taking into account our galaxy, or system of galaxies in the larger universe, doesn't the earth still orbit the sun? After all, an object can orbit another object that is in motion, just like the moon orbits earth. Of course, I'm not a science guy, so perhaps I'm way off here.

Yes it does, regardless of viewpoint,

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

I understand that there is a certain level of frustration and fatigue that sets in from people constantly challenging you on this board, but you really should let this one go.

 

[tonydead]

Sure it does. I'm looking out my window right now. From my viewpoint, the Earth appears flat. Does that make it flat?

Jon is looking straight down at it, so yes it's flat. Flat and vertical.

 

[squistion]

What is wrong with it?

The question is to see how many people know that science was re-written in the 16th Century to show that the earth actually orbits around the sun. Not the other way around, which you eloquently point out, is based on your point of view. The only point of view we had prior to the 1500s.

You fail to comprehend the term perspective.

So if the earth appears flat from our perspective on the ground, does that make it flat?

It does not appear flat.

 

[bigbottom]

From the perspective of someone on earth, the sun is revolving around us.

This really explains a lot.

What is wrong with it? If your center of your coordinate system is tied to a point on the earth, it would appear sun revolves around us.

I think equating the two bolded statements is where things may have gone sideways.

 

[Scoresman]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

Says the self proclaimed "Independent".

Sure, buddy, you're "Independent".

I am. its not my fault that republicans these days make themselves the easiest targets.

But you have zero facts to back up any of your assertions. You come into thread after thread after thread and just assume it is all Republicans who get things wrong. I would guess the spread on many of these questions are pretty similar between parties. If you really think you are independent, you are more clueless than the people answering these questions wrong.

If you go back and read my original post in this thread, I was simply stating that I'd like to see the correlation between the results of this poll and whether or not they are republican. I made no assertions assuming they were republican or democrat or like me, independent.

 

[NCCommish]

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

As Stephen Hawking pointed out in the above quote, it is not wrong to model it that way.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say if you ask Hawking this question he answers it the right way.

 

[jon_mx]

This is kind of like the argument I got in about wind being finite. Wind in finite in every way (time, space, force), so it is technically finite. I may be being a bit anal about it and no one will agree because they lack the understanding of what it really means to be infinite (ie., nothing is truly infinite), but I am not going to win.

 

[Dinkle Heimer]

I'd like to see how many out of this 26% are against gays, believe in creationism, and vote republican.

Based on recent poll results regarding belief in evolution by political affiliation and how the right continues to deny the scientific consensus on climate change; it's almost certain that the majority of the 26% are Republican. The only real question is how much of that 26%. It's humorous that some are taking issue with the obvious.

 

[jon_mx]

Which is flat out incorrect. Viewpoint does matter. Take a point on the earth surface and it appears from the perspective of that point, the sun is orbiting around us.

As Stephen Hawking pointed out in the above quote, it is not wrong to model it that way.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say if you ask Hawking this question he answers it the right way.

I think if you gave him option F, the question is ambiguous, he would chose that. If he had to pick one of the options given, he would say the earth revolves around the sun.