Tag: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Marching for Evidence?
Imagine yourself as a graduate student doing research in one of the natural sciences.
Teaching Science as Dogma Isn’t Teaching Science at All
Former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal writes about the lack of diversity in thought at universities, mentioning intelligent design.
Canaanite DNA Episode Reveals Limits of Science and of Science Reporting
For science reporters, misinformation on a hot story was “Too good to check.”
Evolution Education Survey Underreports Darwin-Doubting Teachers
A new paper in the journal Science reports results of a survey of how science teachers cover evolution. Titled “Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom,” the paper laments that more teachers aren’t pushing neo-Darwinian evolution in a dogmatic fashion, even attacking one teacher who dared to suggest, “Students should make up their own minds” on evolution. The survey forces teachers to fit into 1 of 3 categories: “Advocates of evolutionary biology,” “Advocates of creationism,” or “Advocate of neither.” According to the survey, 28% of teachers are “Advocates of evolutionary biology,” 13% are “Advocates of creationism,” and a full 60% are “Advocates of neither.” (These are the percentages reported in the survey–odd how they add up to Read More ›
Could Science and the Chronicle of Higher Education Be Any More Biased — or Wrong?
The documentary Expelled keenly observes that scientific ideas begin in the academy, but if they’re to get out to the people, they must pass through a series of barriers and “checkpoints,” which means they can be hindered or stopped at any point along the way. In the film, the first checkpoint is the academy, which polices journals and controls research grants and funding. The second checkpoint is comprised of watchdog groups, like the NCSE, that work hard to organize and kindle opposition against Darwin-skeptics. The next checkpoint is the media, which carefully selects the sources of information it will broadcast to the public on this issue. When all those checkpoints fail, the final checkpoint is the courts. (This idea is Read More ›