Why is public science education important.

Abstract

For most Americans, science is something to be tolerated in high school, details of which are promptly forgotten after tests are over. This may be understandable, since, regrettably, the basic science curriculum can often consist of lectures on taxonomy or analogous facts about what science has discovered, along with the painful need to memorize long lists of strange words. But any notion that science should be left to the scientists, and that the very question of what is and is not science should be left to those with a political agenda, is wrong and damaging. As the pace of scientific research accelerates, the average citizen is faced increasingly with having to grapple with matters of science in his everyday life. Some of the country's most complicated and urgent public policy debates have at their center been questions of science. It is imperative that the public is engaged in science issues which have an impact on their lives, in their own self-interest, to best thrive in modern society. Furthermore, citizens must understand what is a question of science, and what is a question of public policy that can be informed by science. For example, the many causes and effects that impact human health are questions of science: smoking is a cause of lung cancer; obesity is a cause of diabetes; lead poisoning is a cause of brain damage in the young; alcohol and drug use by pregnant women are a cause of brain damage to their unborn children. These are objectively proven claims and therefore are science. The public must also grapple with important public policy questions that must be informed by science. For example, an understanding of the science of embryonic stem cell research is critically important to inform policymakers who are advocating or opposing this research; an understanding of climatology is essential to those concerned with regulation of fossil fuel consumption and energy policy; astronomy and cosmology must inform wise investment in space exploration. On a less weighty level, science is everywhere in society; a part of each person's everyday life – even grocery shopping is more informed by a basic understanding of science. But most citizens are not equipped to personally assess the facts, nor often even to separate the facts from opinion or political spin; science from non-science. They therefore are likely to be predominantly influenced on these issues by the prevailing perception in their communities. Yet no country, no matter how sophisticated technologically, can advance its society fully without the informed engagement of its citizenship. The existence of a democratic process (voting rights, a transparent and representative governance structure) is necessary but not sufficient. As with economic decision-making, public policy decision-making depends on full information. The nonscientist is increasingly at a disadvantage because he lacks the information to engage in these important public policy dilemmas as an informed, independent thinker. On a less weighty level, science is everywhere in society; a part of each person's everyday life – even grocery shopping is more informed by a basic understanding of science. But most citizens are not equipped to personally assess the facts, nor often even to separate the facts from opinion or political spin; science from non-science. They therefore are likely to be predominantly influenced on these issues by the prevailing perception in their communities. Yet no country, no matter how sophisticated technologically, can advance its society fully without the informed engagement of its citizenship. The existence of a democratic process (voting rights, a transparent and representative governance structure) is necessary but not sufficient. As with economic decision-making, public policy decision-making depends on full information. The nonscientist is increasingly at a disadvantage because he lacks the information to engage in these important public policy dilemmas as an informed, independent thinker.On a less weighty level, science is everywhere in society; a part of each person's everyday life – even grocery shopping is more informed by a basic understanding of science. But most citizens are not equipped to personally assess the facts, nor often even to separate the facts from opinion or political spin; science from non-science. They therefore are likely to be predominantly influenced on these issues by the prevailing perception in their communities. Yet no country, no matter how sophisticated technologically, can advance its society fully without the informed engagement of its citizenship. The existence of a democratic process (voting rights, a transparent and representative governance structure) is necessary but not sufficient. As with economic decision-making, public policy decision-making depends on full information. The nonscientist is increasingly at a disadvantage because he lacks the information to engage in these important public policy dilemmas as an informed, independent thinker.