QED: você só é criacionista ou crê no design inteligente por causa da evolução

Brief article

The Human Function Compunction: Teleological explanation in adults

Deborah Kelemen , a, ,and Evelyn Rosseta

a Boston University, Department of Psychology, 64 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, United States

Received 10 September 2008; revised 31 December 2008; accepted 3 January 2009.
Available online 5 February 2009.

Abstract

Research has found that children possess a broad bias in favor of teleological – or purpose-based – explanations of natural phenomena. The current two experiments explored whether adults implicitly possess a similar bias. In Study 1, undergraduates judged a series of statements as “good” (i.e., correct) or “bad” (i.e., incorrect) explanations for why different phenomena occur. Judgments occurred in one of three conditions: fast speeded, moderately speeded, or unspeeded. Participants in speeded conditions judged significantly more scientifically unwarranted teleological explanations as correct (e.g., “the sun radiates heat because warmth nurtures life”), but were not more error-prone on control items (e.g., unwarranted physical explanations such as “hills form because floodwater freezes”). Study 2 extended these findings by examining the relationship between different aspects of adults’ “promiscuous teleology” and other variables such as scientific knowledge, religious beliefs, and inhibitory control. Implications of these findings for scientific literacy are discussed.

Keywords: Teleology; Explanation; Function; Design

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Study 1
2.1. Method
2.1.1. Participants
2.1.2. Procedure
2.1.3. Stimuli
2.2. Results
2.3. Discussion
3. Study 2
3.1. Method
3.1.1. Participants
3.1.2. Stimuli
3.1.3. Procedure
3.2. Results
3.2.1. Explanation judgment task
3.2.2. Relationship to inhibitory control and scientific knowledge
3.2.3. Relationship to personal beliefs
3.3. Discussion
4. General discussion

References

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1617 353 2758; fax: +1617 353 6933.

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Eu sempre afirmei aqui que uma forte pressão seletiva sobre algumas populações da espécie humana instalaram os 'memes' do criacionismo e do Design Inteligente como fator de sobrevivência. E agora, sem mais nem menos, vem esta pesquisadora e tenta tirar a originalidade de minha descoberta científica??? Vou reclamar pra quem? Pro Bispo de Down???