Duncan Article Part 1

Question 1

How many Americans cannot read a simple science story?

Answer 1

200 million – (216 million aka 72%)

Question 2

Note the numbers on evolution and earth orbiting the sun

Answer 2

40% don’t believe in evolution and 20% think the sun orbits the Earth

Question 3

Why is scientific ignorance dangerous?

Answer 3

We are in a society where science can do amazing, yet also dangerous things. We live in a culture based on science and technology – elites know the essentials while everyone else mindlessly depends on it even though democracy assumes citizens have baseline knowledge.

The outcome could be illiterates becoming fearful of science, resenting elites and trying to slow tech progress OR elite will be frustrated w/illiterates and try to control them.

Question 4

Note the authors historical examples

Answer 4

Ignorance: chasing out astronomer in Alexandria for suggesting Earth revolved around the sun; and current restrictions on federal funding for embryonic-stem-cell research
Elites: Mayans build temples & palaces for themselves and controlled the masses through religion; Europeans in colonial times used guns and ships to conquer savages for their empires

Question 5

Do Europeans and Japanese know more than we do?

Answer 5

They have a slightly lower rate of science literacy

Yet, a higher percentage of ppl who accept evolution and basic scientific theories

Question 6

What campaign does the author propose?

Answer 6

A scientific literacy campaign – like the one in 20th C. to increase rate of basic literacy