Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics
That doesn't surprise me, since, based on my experience, atheists and agnostics tend to study several religions before deciding not to follow one.
Fifty-three percent of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the man who started the Protestant Reformation
This also does not surprise me, because this is more of a history question than religion. To draw a non-religious analogy, a computer programmer doesn't need to know who wrote a language to be able to code in it.
Or, people who are atheists and agnostics tend to be better educated, because having time to grapple with religious choices --- and, more importantly, the wherewithal to walk away from the community that provides your second most important support system --- is a "first world problem".
The survey methodology at Pew does not indicate that they weighted to account for socioeconomics, which in some cases religion is a proxy for.
And I'd be very surprised if anywhere near 50% of Java programmers had ever heard of James Gosling. In fact, I'd be mildly surprised if 50% of Python programmers have heard of GvR.
Also this question is probably particularly confusing to Americans, who hear about Martin Luther King Jr far more often than they hear about Martin Luther.
To draw a non-religious analogy, a computer programmer doesn't need to know who wrote a language to be able to code in it.
I'm not sure the analogy fits. I'd argue it's more like a group of .NET programmers who had never heard of Bill Gates. Luther is such a towering figure in the history of the religion, it's hard to believe that any Christian, Protestant or otherwise, would not be aware of his role. That a decent percentage said Protestants are Lutherans is just too painful to even think about.
"This also does not surprise me, because this is more of a history question than religion. To draw a non-religious analogy, a computer programmer doesn't need to know who wrote a language to be able to code in it."
Are there programmers who work in languages whose origins they don't know? People (at least people I know) who care about stuff tend to try to learn more about it.
I see it as:
there is a correlation between general religious groups and level of knowledge and education, and between level of knowledge and education and doing well on tests.
"The phone interviews were conducted in English and Spanish in May and June. There were not enough Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu respondents to say how those groups ranked. "
So how valueble is this research when...
1. Islam is the second largest religion in the world representing over 1.5 billion people
2. Hinduism is the forth largest religion in the world representing over 900 million
In my honest opinion, it's a complete waste of time.
Well, when it's an interview made in America, it may not be a waste of time. That's kind of like saying that 95 % of people in the world aren't from the US, so any survey made using them is a complete waste of time.
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That doesn't surprise me, since, based on my experience, atheists and agnostics tend to study several religions before deciding not to follow one.
Fifty-three percent of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the man who started the Protestant Reformation
This also does not surprise me, because this is more of a history question than religion. To draw a non-religious analogy, a computer programmer doesn't need to know who wrote a language to be able to code in it.
The survey methodology at Pew does not indicate that they weighted to account for socioeconomics, which in some cases religion is a proxy for.
Which also makes sense, because they usually know about their own religion and also the majority religion.
I'm not sure the analogy fits. I'd argue it's more like a group of .NET programmers who had never heard of Bill Gates. Luther is such a towering figure in the history of the religion, it's hard to believe that any Christian, Protestant or otherwise, would not be aware of his role. That a decent percentage said Protestants are Lutherans is just too painful to even think about.
Are there programmers who work in languages whose origins they don't know? People (at least people I know) who care about stuff tend to try to learn more about it.
For what value of "subject" is this not a surprise?
Basic <subject> Test Stumps Many Americans
because the alternative headline
Most Americans Do Reasonably Well on Basic <subject> Test
would never appear in the New York Times, and if it did it wouldn't be discussed here.
If the US ever got anywhere near the top of, say, the PISA study, you can be sure it would make the front page of the New York Times.
It's not all schadenfreude, really.
So how valueble is this research when...
1. Islam is the second largest religion in the world representing over 1.5 billion people
2. Hinduism is the forth largest religion in the world representing over 900 million
In my honest opinion, it's a complete waste of time.
Just my $0.02 worth
Facts taken from: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html