Why Is Scientific Illiteracy So Acceptable?

Science can answer many questions. I can ask it, "How long do I need to fire the engines to achieve this particular orbit", or perhaps "How much material do I need in this region of the bridge to sustain the load of traffic going across it?"

But science is not the computer from Star Trek. I can't come to science and ask it, "How long should we quarantine to minimize health impact, and maximize economic recovery?" Ultimately, that question does not have a scientific answer. It can be informed by statistics -- to the best that we understand the numbers, and scientists can present models of what they think the future will look like... but results not guaranteed.

Some problems have clear cut answers, that science can contribute concrete solutions to. Other problems do not have clear cut answers -- but have a large population of supporters claiming that all "the science" agrees with them, and to disagree with them is to shun reason.

This is also scientific illiteracy.

Those fundamental skills are essential to making informed decisions

But terrible things happen when you try to apply science to a field that it should not apply to. Science can tell you how to do something effectively. It will not tell you whether or not it is good or beneficial to do a certain thing.

There was a news article recently published, that claimed that Iceland had eradicated Down's Syndrome. The mother runs through a battery of tests to determine if her baby has a genetic abnormality -- and if so, can choose an abortion. Unequivocally, this is genocide! Genocide!

Contrary to the "IFL Science" types who wake up singing "There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow", Huxley has an appreciation for what science is truly capable of.

> We are living now, not in the delicious intoxication induced by the early successes of science, but in a rather grisly morning-after, when it has become apparent that what triumphant science has done hitherto is to improve the means for achieving unimproved or actually deteriorated ends.

I blame the education system. There's way too much specific knowledge that you will be tested on, and barely any theory of knowledge or scientific method fundamentals. And in the end, you will forget the silly quiz questions, leaving you with just the principles, if you were so lucky.

It would have been nice to have a general survey as well. "Not gonna quiz you on it, but FYI apart from the classic subjects that you are learning, there are also things like geology, materials science, a huge array of mathematical things, and so on. Just so you don't think that we had enough time at school to teach you everything."