Meredith Olson Ph D

Never Trust A Science Teacher Meredith Olson Ph D

Using scientific discourse to purposefully cultivate thoughtful citizens. This book describes my belief in the importance of individuality, the habit of truth, personal responsibility and respectful dissent. What does this scientific method have to do with democratic citizenship? Are science and democracy two separate endeavors? From the dawn of humanity, the natural state of man has been to live under tyranny of one form or another. Even today, less than 10% of humans alive enjoy individual rights. And these cultures are the most prosperous. Prosperity from scientific advancement. Scientific advancement from the scientific method. The scientific method rests on individual rights and personal responsibility. Individual rights and personal responsibility form the cornerstone of a free democracy. Many citizens mistrust science. They easily revert to authoritarian attitudes and become activists for causes that are "obviously" true. They fail to recognize that the statement, "97% of scientists believe...something (anything)" is an argument relying on pre-Enlightenment logic...logic more than 400 years out of date. I struggle and wonder what I can do to help bring our citizens to modern ways of reasoning. Perhaps the best I can do is try to prepare my own students for the citizenship challenges they will find in their future.