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Monday, June 07, 2010

What Is Scientific Literacy?

 
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains it as well as anyone could. Hint: it's not about knowing the names of the planets, the valence of oxygen, or the enzymes of glycolysis.

Chad Orzel is as excited about this video as I am—and for the same reason [Neil deGrasse Tyson Agrees With Me About The Innumeracy of Intellectuals]. It's bad enough that so many people are scientifically illiterate but even worse is the fact that many of our so-called "intellectuals" are actually proud of the fact that they are stupid about mathematics and science. Last year I went to a conference on The Two Cultures where many people were trying to convince me that the problem was solved. They were wrong and I'm glad to see that Tyson agrees.



4 comments :

jake said...

"Science literacy inoculates you against charlatanism."

That's a keeper.

Heathen Mike said...

That is a great video. I dig it right to China.

Anonymous said...

I love listening to that guy. Tyson is the new Carl Sagan.

AJ Milne said...

So stealing this.

(/In part because of the message re charlatanism. But also very fond of the 'yes, we do need to make real things at some point' bit, too. Sort of an axe I like to grind.)