Summary: Unscientific America E-Book

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• Herausgeber: Political Book Summaries
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 20

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

The must-read summary of Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum's book: “Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future”.

This complete summary of "Unscientific America" by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum presents their argument that science and society are increasingly disconnected and that scientific truth and evidence are decreasingly present in the media and journalism.

Added-value of this summary:
• Save time
• Understand how science is ever less present in public discourse
• Expand your knowledge of American politics and society

To learn more, read "Unscientific America" and discover the benefits of reintegrating science into American public discourse.

Leseprobe

Book Presentation: Unscientific America by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum

Book Abstract

Unscientific America makes the argument that science and American society have diverged in the modern era. The authors describe the present state and consequences of this disconnect and propose solutions. They assert that science has suffered a key disconnect with American culture through news media, entertainment, religion, and politics. The result is that science currently has little relevance to Americans as a whole. Yet, with the scientific breakthroughs and current crises such as pandemics and global warming, it is critical for Americans to be more scientifically literate, and for science to have more relevance in their lives.

About the Author

Chris Mooney is the author of The Republican War on Science and Storm World. He is a contributing editor to Science Progress. Sheril Kirshenbaum is a marine scientist and research associate at Duke University. The authors blog together at Discover magazine’s The Intersection.

Summary of Unscientific America (Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum)

Why Pluto Matters

In 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted to demote Pluto as a planet from the solar system, it was a decision as much cultural, historical, and even mythological as it was scientific. The subsequent furor was so widespread that the decision may even be re-debated at the next IAU meeting.

The Pluto issue is one example of the rift between the world of science and the rest of society, a rift especially pronounced in the United States, where despite being the world’s scientific leader, its overarching culture seems neither to know nor care about science. A distressingly large number of Americans deny the fact or theory of evolution. Only 18 percent of Americans personally know a scientist.

We stand on the verge of path-breaking discoveries, of climatic change and energy crisis, of pandemics. Yet, again and again, we encounter disconnects between the state of scientific understanding and the way we live our lives. This disconnect becomes magnified when it resurfaces in key sectors of society like politics, the news media, the entertainment industry, and the religious community.