Entry 4: Inoculation Against Scientific Denial
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Hello dear sirs,
I just finished reading an article from Newsweek called “Can You Inoculate Against Science Denial?” In the article, it discusses a proposed solution scientific denial: inoculate them. It proposes that instead of simply teaching science, teachers should expose students to misconceptions surrounding science and have them see the lack of logic in those misconceptions. One aspect of this article that I found particularly humorous was that one of the main examples used by the author is the misconceptions surrounding vaccines and autism.
The article suggests that when faced with someone who is opposing a person’s beliefs, that person will only grasp their beliefs more strongly. Teaching someone what to think can actually have the opposite effect, referred to in the article as the “worldview backfire effect.” It is only by teaching people how to think and how to be open-minded that they will consider opposing viewpoints.
I one hundred percent agree with this statement. In fact, that thesis is quite similar to my extended essay thesis- not that I came up with it after reading this article; I guess it’s true what people say about original ideas. When people feel that their beliefs are threatened, they cling to whatever is closest and most familiar. This statement is especially true in a scientific context. For centuries, people have been pushing back against scientific theories that contradicted their belief system. The theory that the world actually revolves around the sun (blasphemy!) was greatly contested as it suggested that humans were not at the center of the universe- which was very small in those days. Some Christians- the vocal minority of course- deny the big-bang theory and the theory of evolution rather than trying to see how the two theories can coexist with their belief system as it contradicts the literal reading of the bible that states that God created the world in 7 days.
I find that this way of thinking is quite tragic. While everyone is entitled to their beliefs and opinion- I personally would not have it any other way- I also believe that limiting yourself to one way of thinking greatly limits a person’s potential for growth. On the issue of vaccines, it can even limit a person’s ability to live a healthy life. The world is such a beautiful and complex place. To limit oneself to small-town narrow-minded thinking would prevent a person from seeing a fraction of the entirety of what the world has to offer.
This issue is not at all difficult to put into a TOK perspective: it is literally about scientific knowledge and how it can clash with beliefs. The following knowledge statement can be made concerning this issue: the way that the natural sciences are communicated greatly affects beliefs. This knowledge statement can then be translated into the following knowledge question: To what extent does language affect beliefs surrounding the natural sciences?
Please click the link below to read the article discussed in this entry:
http://www.newsweek.com/can-you-inoculate-against-science-denial-327245
Please click the button below to explore the knowledge question:
See you next time as we continue to ponder our existence!
-Jo
I just finished reading an article from Newsweek called “Can You Inoculate Against Science Denial?” In the article, it discusses a proposed solution scientific denial: inoculate them. It proposes that instead of simply teaching science, teachers should expose students to misconceptions surrounding science and have them see the lack of logic in those misconceptions. One aspect of this article that I found particularly humorous was that one of the main examples used by the author is the misconceptions surrounding vaccines and autism.
The article suggests that when faced with someone who is opposing a person’s beliefs, that person will only grasp their beliefs more strongly. Teaching someone what to think can actually have the opposite effect, referred to in the article as the “worldview backfire effect.” It is only by teaching people how to think and how to be open-minded that they will consider opposing viewpoints.
I one hundred percent agree with this statement. In fact, that thesis is quite similar to my extended essay thesis- not that I came up with it after reading this article; I guess it’s true what people say about original ideas. When people feel that their beliefs are threatened, they cling to whatever is closest and most familiar. This statement is especially true in a scientific context. For centuries, people have been pushing back against scientific theories that contradicted their belief system. The theory that the world actually revolves around the sun (blasphemy!) was greatly contested as it suggested that humans were not at the center of the universe- which was very small in those days. Some Christians- the vocal minority of course- deny the big-bang theory and the theory of evolution rather than trying to see how the two theories can coexist with their belief system as it contradicts the literal reading of the bible that states that God created the world in 7 days.
I find that this way of thinking is quite tragic. While everyone is entitled to their beliefs and opinion- I personally would not have it any other way- I also believe that limiting yourself to one way of thinking greatly limits a person’s potential for growth. On the issue of vaccines, it can even limit a person’s ability to live a healthy life. The world is such a beautiful and complex place. To limit oneself to small-town narrow-minded thinking would prevent a person from seeing a fraction of the entirety of what the world has to offer.
This issue is not at all difficult to put into a TOK perspective: it is literally about scientific knowledge and how it can clash with beliefs. The following knowledge statement can be made concerning this issue: the way that the natural sciences are communicated greatly affects beliefs. This knowledge statement can then be translated into the following knowledge question: To what extent does language affect beliefs surrounding the natural sciences?
Please click the link below to read the article discussed in this entry:
http://www.newsweek.com/can-you-inoculate-against-science-denial-327245
Please click the button below to explore the knowledge question:
See you next time as we continue to ponder our existence!
-Jo