Why Science Education Matters (updated)
So I’ve written a new bit on why science education matters. It’s alot clearer than the previous one. It’s cliché, but every time I look back at the archives, I shudder at the shoddiness of some of my work.
Anyways, here’s the edited work:
We often hear people talk about the importance of science education. But why does it matter? Most people do not use scientific knowledge on a daily basis. They do not need to know information such as the processes of meiosis, or the electron configurations of elements. In fact, the National Science Foundation estimates that only two percent of the entire workforce works in a job that directly involves science. Given the relatively low percentage of people who will end up in a scientific field, why is it necessary for everyone to study and understand the scientific process and scientific knowledge?
The answer is simple: a situation in which only those who use science understand it, is simply untenable at best, and dangerously irresponsible at worst. In a world that runs on science, a scientifically ignorant public undermines the progress and safety of society. On the other hand, the promotion of science education ensures humanity’s advancement and safety.
The smallpox virus killed half a billion people in the 20th century alone, and was one of the most dangerous diseases in human history. But the discovery of a vaccine by Edward Jenner in 1796 eventually paved the way for the eradication of the disease in 1977. Although vaccination was initially a controversial procedure, the general public was kept well informed about the science behind vaccination and eventually rallied behind the process, giving enough political will to eventually eradicate the disease. This is a powerful example of the benefits of science education and a scientifically literate public.
But there are also examples of the dangers posed by a scientifically ignorant public. In 2007, a celebrity named Jenny McCarthy started a campaign against the use of the measles vaccine on the grounds that it caused autism. Since then, numerous studies have shown that this claim has no basis in fact. But because the general public was not educated with these results, many began to decline the vaccine for their children. This has lead to an increase in the occurrence of measles and threatens the lives of hundreds.
Vaccination demonstrates why it is important for the general public to be educated about science and its issues. In the case of the smallpox vaccine, having a scientifically literate public led to the eventual eradication of one history’s most dangerous diseases, improving the lives of untold numbers of people and making the world a safer place. In the case of the anti-vaccine movement, the opposition to vaccination has created needless suffering and has endangered thousands for no good reason.
By promoting science education, one promotes human progress and helps ensure the safety of the general public. It ensures that there is a scientifically literate public that will be supportive of new solutions, and prevents the undermining of progress and the endangerment of the public. In other words, science education matters, because it helps ensure the safety of the public and the progress of humanity.
William
Tags: controversy, discussion, education, fun, jenny, make, mccarthy, nerds, science, vaccine, vaccines