jejeje that was my reaction too. Who on earth thinks up these questions do you think? I think they are high school kids. It's something you might be interested to debate when you are very young, but by the time you are out in the world you know a thing or two, and it seems so obvious!
To be fair to high school kids, a lot of academic scientists like to squabble over this. Often it's because their specialism focuses on one side or the other and egos clash in a game of my-work-is-more-significant-than-yours.
The question can also be relevant in a specific context. For example, homosexuality is genetically determined. If not, who would choose it?
Why are so many of these Writer's Block prompts either/or? Giving a choice between two one-word answers seems a lousy way to spur us on to interesting writing.
ETA: Looking at the question again, I also am bothered by the "In your opinion..." thing. It's not really a matter of opinion is it? Reminds me of a recent Yahoo! poll asking whether or not there was more violent crime now than in the past. People thought there was, so that seemed to confirm it for the yahoos at Yahoo!, as if actual statistics meant nothing in the face of public opinion...
as if actual statistics meant nothing in the face of public opinion...
Yes, indeed, opinion is all! I'm reminded of the debating society resolution: "This House agrees that God exists by 32 votes to 14".
And of course many of these poll questions contain the seed of their result. The phrasing of the question is often designed to elicit the outraged response. Penn & Teller highlighted this with a hilarious collection of petition signatures outside the Capitol building in D.C., demanding a ban on "disrespectful" political demonstrations in Washington. Alas, such a ban would prohibit the very collection of signatures that demanded it!
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The question can also be relevant in a specific context. For example, homosexuality is genetically determined. If not, who would choose it?
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Why are so many of these Writer's Block prompts either/or? Giving a choice between two one-word answers seems a lousy way to spur us on to interesting writing.
ETA: Looking at the question again, I also am bothered by the "In your opinion..." thing. It's not really a matter of opinion is it? Reminds me of a recent Yahoo! poll asking whether or not there was more violent crime now than in the past. People thought there was, so that seemed to confirm it for the yahoos at Yahoo!, as if actual statistics meant nothing in the face of public opinion...
Reply
Yes, indeed, opinion is all! I'm reminded of the debating society resolution: "This House agrees that God exists by 32 votes to 14".
And of course many of these poll questions contain the seed of their result. The phrasing of the question is often designed to elicit the outraged response. Penn & Teller highlighted this with a hilarious collection of petition signatures outside the Capitol building in D.C., demanding a ban on "disrespectful" political demonstrations in Washington. Alas, such a ban would prohibit the very collection of signatures that demanded it!
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