> It's akin to showing non-programmers source code listings of merge-sort, quick-sort and bubble-sort and ask them what they think would be fastest, and then try to draw conclusions from the answer.
Isn't it more akin to showing programmers those source code listings, and then being appalled that so many got it wrong? We're talking about asking the relevant people who make decisions: programmers should know the facts about algorithms, or else it's likely they will make poor choices when writing software; and voters should know the facts about their society/economy/etc., or else it's likely they will make poor choices when voting.
Isn't it more akin to showing programmers those source code listings, and then being appalled that so many got it wrong? We're talking about asking the relevant people who make decisions: programmers should know the facts about algorithms, or else it's likely they will make poor choices when writing software; and voters should know the facts about their society/economy/etc., or else it's likely they will make poor choices when voting.