| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Michael Gray" |
| Date: |
31 May 2007 07:47:59 PM |
| Object: |
Why do some people resist Science? |
Why Do Some People Resist Science?
by Paul Bloom and Deena Skolnick Weisberg, Edge
Thanks to Brian Coughlan for the link.
Reposted from:
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bloom07/bloom07_index.html
"The developmental data suggest that resistance to science will arise
in children when scientific claims clash with early emerging,
intuitive expectations. This resistance will persist through adulthood
if the scientific claims are contested within a society, and will be
especially strong if there is a non-scientific alternative that is
rooted in common sense and championed by people who are taken as
reliable and trustworthy. This is the current situation in the United
States with regard to the central tenets of neuroscience and of
evolutionary biology. These clash with intuitive beliefs about the
immaterial nature of the soul and the purposeful design of humans and
other animals — and, in the United States, these intuitive beliefs are
particularly likely to be endorsed and transmitted by trusted
religious and political authorities. Hence these are among the domains
where Americans' resistance to science is the strongest.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE RESIST SCIENCE?
It is no secret that many American adults reject some scientific
ideas. In a 2005 Pew Trust poll, for instance, 42% of respondents said
that they believed that humans and other animals have existed in their
present form since the beginning of time. A substantial minority of
Americans, then, deny that evolution has even taken place, making them
more radical than "Intelligent Design" theorists, who deny only that
natural selection can explain complex design. But evolution is not the
only domain in which people reject science: Many believe in the
efficacy of unproven medical interventions, the mystical nature of
out-of-body experiences, the existence of supernatural entities such
as ghosts and fairies, and the legitimacy of astrology, ESP, and
divination.
There are two common assumptions about the nature of this resistance.
First, it is often assumed to be a particularly American problem,
explained in terms of the strong religious beliefs of many American
citizens and the anti-science leanings of the dominant political
party. Second, the problem is often characterized as the result of
insufficient exposure to the relevant scientific facts, and hence is
best addressed with improved science education.
We believe that these assumptions, while not completely false, reflect
a misunderstanding of the nature of this phenomenon. While cultural
factors are plainly relevant, American adults' resistance to
scientific ideas reflects universal facts about what children know and
how children learn. If this is right, then resistance to science
cannot be simply addressed through more education; something different
is needed..."
(Full article too long to post in it's entirety)
.
|
|
| User: "Al Klein" |
|
| Title: Re: Why do some people resist Science? |
01 Jun 2007 10:04:47 PM |
|
|
On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:17:59 +0930, Michael Gray
<mikegray@newsguy.com> wrote:
There are two common assumptions about the nature of this resistance.
First, it is often assumed to be a particularly American problem,
explained in terms of the strong religious beliefs of many American
citizens and the anti-science leanings of the dominant political
party. Second, the problem is often characterized as the result of
insufficient exposure to the relevant scientific facts, and hence is
best addressed with improved science education.
We believe that these assumptions, while not completely false, reflect
a misunderstanding of the nature of this phenomenon. While cultural
factors are plainly relevant, American adults' resistance to
scientific ideas reflects universal facts about what children know and
how children learn. If this is right, then resistance to science
cannot be simply addressed through more education; something different
is needed..."
If it had to do with "universal facts about what children know and how
children learn", there wouldn't be an American bias, there would be a
human bias. There's something wrong either with the research or with
the report about it.
.
|
|
|
| User: "Michael Gray" |
|
| Title: Re: Why do some people resist Science? |
01 Jun 2007 11:43:19 PM |
|
|
On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:04:47 -0400, Al Klein <rukbat@pern.invalid>
wrote:
- Refer: <bbn163lgtk2iico1e10ddde6kijbopop70@4ax.com>
On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:17:59 +0930, Michael Gray
<mikegray@newsguy.com> wrote:
There are two common assumptions about the nature of this resistance.
First, it is often assumed to be a particularly American problem,
explained in terms of the strong religious beliefs of many American
citizens and the anti-science leanings of the dominant political
party. Second, the problem is often characterized as the result of
insufficient exposure to the relevant scientific facts, and hence is
best addressed with improved science education.
We believe that these assumptions, while not completely false, reflect
a misunderstanding of the nature of this phenomenon. While cultural
factors are plainly relevant, American adults' resistance to
scientific ideas reflects universal facts about what children know and
how children learn. If this is right, then resistance to science
cannot be simply addressed through more education; something different
is needed..."
If it had to do with "universal facts about what children know and how
children learn", there wouldn't be an American bias, there would be a
human bias. There's something wrong either with the research or with
the report about it.
I think it is a bit of both.
I do not agree with many of the points raised, by the way...
--
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
