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Atheists distrusted as much as rapists

Cretinous survey question and methodology yields cretinous results shock.

If you want to address the question of why the press are so keen to print the results of independent (in the sense of one-off) unrepeated and unanalysed 'surveys' then there's a point to this. Otherwise it's just fanning the flames of a fire started by an arsonist.
 
Beaver Hateman said:
Cretinous survey question and methodology yields cretinous results shock.

If you want to address the question of why the press are so keen to print the results of independent (in the sense of one-off) unrepeated and unanalysed 'surveys' then there's a point to this. Otherwise it's just fanning the flames of a fire started by an arsonist.
Click to expand...

The article and survey attempt, and the speading of news about it, is as much a reflection on the viewpoint of the US culture toward atheism, maybe more, than the flawed result of the survey or not.
 
well come on, we all know that Atheists are a bit dodgy though don't we

but I think this misses one crucial point, in the choice between, rapist and atheist, the rapist isn't an atheist, so must be a theist
:p
 
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Their didn't seem to be much choices. There's only three kinds of teachers?
 
Wow,

I'm glad that I don't live in the US and don't have to face this double whammy of discrimination.
 
Weird question! And without any analysis of the answers, an equally weird conclusion.

Logically, most people aren't going to choose "merely" teacher, as it's totally neutral when you have two such modifiers. If asked of me, I'd likely be thinking, "Hmm, a person whose deciding character trait is that he/she is a rapist is probably not out for chump change." That'd leave the last choice.

But then again, I'm probably thinking too much. (Thinking at all might be a drawback in the case of their respondants, I fear.)

Someone ask the perfesser if he'd like to test again and this time show:
Teacher
Atheist Teacher
Rapist Teacher
Jim and Tammy Faye
 
Foolmewunz said:
Weird question! And without any analysis of the answers, an equally weird conclusion.

Logically, most people aren't going to choose "merely" teacher, as it's totally neutral when you have two such modifiers. If asked of me, I'd likely be thinking, "Hmm, a person whose deciding character trait is that he/she is a rapist is probably not out for chump change." That'd leave the last choice.

But then again, I'm probably thinking too much. (Thinking at all might be a drawback in the case of their respondants, I fear.)

Someone ask the perfesser if he'd like to test again and this time show:
Teacher
Atheist Teacher
Rapist Teacher
Jim and Tammy Faye
Click to expand...

Wouldn't "Teacher" be the only rational answer to the question from the study? Whenever you are asked what's more likely and then given 3 choices, two of which are sub categories of the 1st, it's basically a given that the 1st choice is true (assuming that there aren't other options).
 
Eddie Dane said:
Wow,

I'm glad that I don't live in the US and don't have to face this double whammy of discrimination.
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Agreed. The US is in many ways a cool place, but it doesn't seem that friendly if you are an atheist (though I guess "non-religious" can get you by ok in certain areas).
 
Humes fork said:
Agreed. The US is in many ways a cool place, but it doesn't seem that friendly if you are an atheist (though I guess "non-religious" can get you by ok in certain areas).
Click to expand...

I've lived in the St. Louis area for nearly five years now and there has been zero occasions where religion was an issue outside of family. The religion thing is far worse on the Internet than IRL.
 
Turgor said:
Wouldn't "Teacher" be the only rational answer to the question from the study? Whenever you are asked what's more likely and then given 3 choices, two of which are sub categories of the 1st, it's basically a given that the 1st choice is true (assuming that there aren't other options).
Click to expand...

Yes, if it's the Monty Hall Conundrum and you're looking for the CORRECT answer. I think this is less of a lesson in logic than a lesson in illogic.
 
Right, it's another demonstration of the conjunction fallacy, like the Linda problem.
Tversky and Daniel Kahneman:
Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice, and also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations.
Which is more probable?
1.Linda is a bank teller.
2.Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.

Most people pick 2.
 
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