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I suggest that a root cause is the extreme polarization of
public debate. This seems to have increased dramatically, without
pointing any fingers or naming names, in newspapers, the blogosphere,
but probably more influentially and polarizing on, television. Every
program, however thoughtful has to have the divergent opinion which
even in a respectful way is polarizing. If we can somehow tone down
the public debate in the body politic of not only of issues like
global warming, stem cell research, evidence for evolution, etc, etc.
This "screaming" has to have an effect on children and I suspect
leads to the difficulties Thomas Martin refers to in his article.
Martin
>
>
>>Opinion
>>Your beliefs vs. the facts By Thomas W. Martin
>>Thu Jan 3, 3:00 AM ET
>>
>>
>>
>>Tempe, Ariz. - Twenty years ago, as a college freshman, I knew
>>precisely what it meant to be scientifically literate. In fact, I held
>>an objective measure in the palm of my hand, courtesy of E.D. Hirsch.
>>His book, "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know," was
>>a bestselling paperback, and conveniently listed thousands of names,
>>terms, and phrases with which every educated person - he informed us -
>>should be familiar. . . . . .
>>
--
Martin Weiss, PhD
Science Interpretation
Consultant
New York Hall of Science
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