DOCSLIB.ORG

Downsizing Science

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Downsizing Science Downsizing Science Dow-nsizing Science Will the United States Pay a Price? Kenneth M. Brown The AEI Press Publisher for the American Enterprise Institute WASHINGTON, D.C. 1998 Distributed to the Trade t~ational&x)kNetwork; 15200 -NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit) PA 17214. To order call toll free t~-462-6420 or 1-717-794-3800. For all other UlqUirie.S please contact the AEI Press~ 11.50 call1-80()~62~-5801. Seventrm.th Street, N"W' j Washirlgton, D.C,. 20036 or AEI wishes to thank the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for its support for this project. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Brown, Kenneth M., 1939- Downsizing science: will the United States pay a price? / Kenneth M. Brown. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8447-4026-8. - ISBN 0-8447-4027-6 (pbk.) 1. Research-Government policy-United States. 2. Federal aid to re- search-United States. 1. Title. IN PROCESS 338.973'06-dc21 96-32749 CIP 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 © 1998 by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Wash­ ington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission in writing from the American Enterprise Institute except in cases of brief quotations embodied in news articles, critical articles, or reviews. The views expressed in the publica­ tions of the American Enterprise Institute are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, advisory panels, officers, or trustees of AE1. THE AEI PRESS Publisher for the American Enterprise Institute 1150 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 Printed in the United States ofAmerica Contents FOREWORD, Claude E. Barfield ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi 1 INTRODUCTION 1 THE END OF THE GOLDEN AGE 3 2 Budget Pressures 5 An Overview of the Research Enterprise 9 The Age of Science 11 The Golden Age Comes and Goes 13 Conclusion 18 MEASURING THE COSTS OF DOWNSIZING 20 3 R&D as a Source of Economic Growth 21 R&D as an Investment 25 Would Downsizing Be Costly? 28 Conclusion 33 A BROADER VIEW OF THE BENEFITS FROM SCIENCE 34 4 More than Economic Benefits 35 Other Unique Aspects 41 Questionable Benefits 42 Conclusion 42 v CONTENTS A VITAL BUT LIMITED ROLE FOR GOVERNMENT 44 5 Reasonable Limits 46 Criteria for Evaluating Programs 48 Contrary Views 52 Conclusion 53 JUST ANOTHER DOWNTURN? 55 6 Worrisome Signs 55 Attitudes toward Science 57 Ignorance of Science 58 Science and Higher Education 59 A Negative View of Scientists 60 Conclusion 61 THE FEDERAL LABORATORIES-FIRST, DECIDE ON A MISSION 63 7 Downsizing Federal Laboratories 64 "Mission Lurch" 70 Living with Lower Funding 75 Conclusion 78 THE ESSENTIAL FEDERAL ROLE IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH 80 8 The Washington Connection 82 Impacts of Downsizing 84 Conclusion 90 IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH 92 9 What Price Federal Downsizing? 92 How Healthy Is Industrial R&D? 95 Reactions of Industry 101 Other Federal Policies and Funding 104 Conclusion 105 INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF DOWNSIZING 108 10 U.S. Leadership, Past and Present 108 U.S. Leadership, Future 110 Looking Ahead a Few Years 114 Implications of Relative Decline 115 How Much Is World Leadership Worth? 117 That Old Shibboleth "Competitiveness" 120 Implications for Policy 121 Conclusion 124 vi CONTENTS THE PRICE OF DOWNSIZING SCIENCE 125 11 What Are the Alternatives? 128 Reflecting on the Future 132 NOTES 133 INDEX 145 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 153 LIST OF FIGURES 2-1 Funding and Performance of U.S. Research and Develop­ ment,1996 10 2-2 U.S. Funds for Reseach and Development, 1957-1996 14 2-3 Science and Engineering Doctorates Awarded by U.S. Universities,1957-1995 16 5-1 Private and Social Benefits from Research and Develop­ ment 45 7-1 R&D Performed by the Federal Government, 1957-1996 65 8-1 R&D Performed at Universities, with Sources of Funds, 1957-1996 81 9-1 Federal and Industry Funds for Industrial R&D, 1957­ 1996 93 10-1 U.S. Share of World R&D Expenditures, 1961, 1993, and 2003 115 vii Foreword KENNETH BROWN'S COMPREHENSIVE study of the potential impact of "downsizing science" is one of a number of studies the American Enterprise Institute has commissioned as a part of a major research project launched in 1996, entitled "The Science Enterprise in the United States." Other recent studies published in this series include an assessment of Vannevar Bush's Science-The Endless Fron­ tier from the perspective of the 1990s, a multiauthored volume on future challenges to biomedical research, and an evaluation of the Clinton administration's Advance Technology Program. In coming months, AEI will publish analyses of the difficult issues posed by intellectual property rights in the field of biotech­ nology and an evaluation of the economic results of public-private research and development partnerships. In this study, the author reexamines the rationales that have been advanced for public support of scientific research and evalu­ ates these rationales in light of current economic theory and political realities. He reviews and assesses the nature and scale of purported benefits to society from science. ·Using a "public goods" analytic framework, he then develops criteria for assessing federal programs and funding priorities. In succeeding chapters, he applies those criteria to programs directed to the research universities, to the national laboratories, and to recommendations for public policy, including greater reliance on market solutions and the private sector. In a closing statement, he argues: ix FOREWORD Maintaining U.S. excellence in science is not an impossible dream, like ridding the world of crime or narcotics. It is not a problem of exploding costs, as with social security or Medicaid. It does not even require building vast new infrastructure and creating new institutional arrangements; most of what we already have is sufficient. The gap be­ tween excellence and mediocrity is measurable in the low billions of dollars per year. Clearly, continued excellence in science is within the nation's reach. CLAUDE E. BARFIELD Director, Science and Technology Policy Studies American Enterprise Institute x Acknowledgments I thank Neal Lane, Bennett Bertenthal, Cora Marrett, and Jeff Fenstermacher for granting me leave from the National Science Foun­ dation to write this book. Equal thanks to Christopher DeMuth, Claude Barfield, and David Gerson for their generous hospitality at the American Enterprise Institute. Thanks to these people who helped by reviewing drafts, pro­ viding information, and editing: Dennis Avery, Cynthia Beltz, Wil­ liam Blanpied, Jennifer Bond, Allyson Brown, Lisa Bustin, Eileen Collins, Ed Dale, Donald Dalton, Charles Dickens, James L. Edwards, Richard Florida, Murray Foss, Howard Gobstein, Mary Golladay, Mark Griffin, Margaret Grucza, Alan Hale, Eric Hanushek, Robert Helms, JohnJankowski, Jean Johnson, Marvin Kosters, Kei Koizumi, Dana Lane, Charles Larson, Jennifer Lesiak, Clarisa Long, Ronald Meeks, Leonard Nakamura, Shanna Narath, Richard Nelson, Steve Nelson, Dan Newlon, Peter Sharfman, and Mark Symonds. Finally, thanks to my wife, Agnes, for her patience and support during the months this book was underway. xi 1 Introduction THESE TRADITIONAL JUSTIFICATIONS for federal science funding are ingrained in discussions of science policy: • Science produces tremendous benefits for the nation. • The federal government must help support fundamen­ tal research because industry and private sector donors will not do enough. • The United States must be a world leader, or close to it, in every field of science. These principles, however, are inconsistent with current re­ alities. Federal funding of science has been reduced and will be reduced more, regardless, apparently, of whatever benefits may be lost. Some have proposed more direct federal assistance for industry, even though industrial research is growing. Scientific advances in other countries, especially inAsia, may erode the U.S. position of world leadership. Yet current plans for downsizing science endanger fundamental research in particular, where the rationale for federal support is strongest and which is vital to con­ tinued world leadership. What is going on here? Are the principles wrong, or the poli­ cies, or both? One thing is clear: federal funding for all 1/discre­ tionary" programs, including science, is under extreme pressure that will surely increase during the next several years and into the next century. Significant reductions in federal funding for sci­ entific research seem inevitable. 1 DOWNSIZING SCIENCE This book reexamines the rationales for the governmental role in science in an effort to shape an efficient policy response to tighter federal budgets. First, it looks at the nature and magni­ tude of the benefits from science. Next, it draws on the "public goods" argument for federal support to develop criteria by which to evaluate federal science funding: which programs should have the highest priority for continued support and which could be dispensed with most easily? How to define and allocate intellec­ tual property rights clearly looms large in this new context: with greater dependence on nonfederal funds, the nation's legal frame­ work for intellectual property rights will become increasingl)' important. Finally, the book addresses how the United States will fare with a downsized science establishment: the fact of downsizing is at odds with the often-stated goal of world leadership in sci­ ence, particularly when certain other nations are expanding their support for science. The nation's research effort is in several parts-federallyper­ formed research, federally financed research outside the govern­ ment, and industrial research. All will be affected by the coming changes. This book recommends specific actions, including in some cases greater reliance on markets and the private sector, to obtain the best results from the diminished federal support of science. 2 2 The End of the Golden Age DESPITE EXTENSIVE EVIDENCE that scientific research brings vast social and economic benefits, the federal budget for research and development (R&D) is being reduced, possibly very consid­ erably.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Philosophy, Science, Antiscience the Institute of Philosophy Summer School 2020 Zagreb, 15-17 June 2020
    Philosophy, Science, Antiscience The Institute of Philosophy Summer School 2020 Zagreb, 15-17 June 2020 MONDAY 9.30-10.00 Registration 10.00-13.00 Course 1 Dr. Luka Boršić (Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb) Anti-Aristotelianism and the Emergence of Modern Science 13.00-16.00 Break 16.00-19.00 Course 2 Professor Robert J. Hankinson (University of Texas at Austin) Physics, Mathematics, and Explanation in Aristotle TUESDAY 10.00-13.00 Course 3 Dr. Ivana Skuhala Karasman (Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb) Astrology: From Science to Pseudoscience 13.00-15.00 Break 15.00-18.00 Course 4 Professor Jure Zovko (Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb / University of Zadar) Does Relativism Threaten the Sciences? WEDNESDAY 10.00-13.00 Course 5 Dr. Marija Brajdić Vuković (Institute of Social Research, Zagreb) What is an Expert? Scientific and Public Controversies 13.00-15.00 Break 15.00-18.00 Course 6 Professor Luca Malatesti (University of Rijeka) Science in the Courtroom. Some Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Transferring Neuropsychological Science in the Insanity Defence 18:00-18:30 Break 1 18.30-20.00 Closing Lecture Professor Darko Polšek (Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb) Science: Good, Bad and Bogus (New Challenges!) 2 COURSE 1 Anti-Aristotelianism and the Emergence of Modern Science INSTRUCTOR Dr. Luka Boršić (Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb) ABSTRACT We are going to inquire into the changes of paradigm that happened notably in the 16th century and which prepared the ground for the emergence of modern science. In more detail we are going to explore the texts of three Renaissance philosophers: Mario Nizolio (De veris principiis), Frane Petrić (Francesco Patrizi, Discussiones peripateticae) and Jacopo Mazzoni (In universam Platonis et Aristotelis philosophiam praeludia).
    [Show full text]
  • Demystifying the Placebo Effect
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2018 Demystifying the Placebo Effect Phoebe Friesen The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2775 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] DEMYSTIFYING THE PLACEBO EFFECT by PHOEBE FRIESEN A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2018 © 2018 PHOEBE FRIESEN All Rights Reserved ii Demystifying the Placebo Effect by Phoebe Friesen This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Philosophy in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ___________ ____________________________________ Date [Peter Godfrey-Smith] Chair of Examining Committee ___________ ____________________________________ Date [Nickolas Pappas ] Executive Office Supervisory Committee: Peter Godfrey-Smith Jesse Prinz John Greenwood THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Demystifying the Placebo Effect by Phoebe Friesen Advisor: Peter Godfrey-Smith This dissertation offers a philosophical analysis of the placebo effect. After offering an overview of recent evidence concerning the phenomenon, I consider several prominent accounts of the placebo effect that have been put forward and argue that none of them are able to adequately account for the diverse instantiations of the phenomenon. I then offer a novel account, which suggests that we ought to think of the placebo effect as encompassing three distinct responses: conditioned placebo responses, cognitive placebo responses, and network placebo responses.
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1996 No. 76 Senate The Senate was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, June 3, 1996, at 1:30 p.m. House of Representatives WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1996 The House met at 2 p.m. and was THE JOURNAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE called to order by the Speaker pro tem- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The CLERK OF THE HOUSE pore [Ms. GREENE of Utah]. Chair has examined the Journal of the The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- f last day's proceedings and announces fore the House the following commu- to the House his approval thereof. nication from the Clerk of the House of Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Representatives: DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER nal stand as approved. PRO TEMPORE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Mr. CHABOT. Madam Speaker, pur- Washington, DC, May 28, 1996. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- suant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a Hon. NEWT GINGRICH, fore the House the following commu- vote on agreeing to the Speaker's ap- The Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives, nication from the Speaker: proval of the Journal. Washington, DC. DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Pursuant to the per- WASHINGTON, DC, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The May 29, 1996. mission granted in Clause 5 of Rule III of the question is on the Chair's approval of Rules of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Thinking®: Science, Pseudoscience, Or Antiscience?
    Behav Analysis Practice DOI 10.1007/s40617-016-0108-1 DISCUSSION AND REVIEW PAPER Social Thinking®: Science, Pseudoscience, or Antiscience? Justin B. Leaf1 & Alyne Kassardjian1 & Misty L. Oppenheim-Leaf2 & Joseph H. Cihon1 & Mitchell Taubman1 & Ronald Leaf1 & John McEachin1 # Association for Behavior Analysis International 2016 Abstract Today, there are several interventions that can be has been utilized by behaviorists and non-behaviorists. This implemented with individuals diagnosed with autism spec- commentary will outline Social Thinking® and provide evi- trum disorder. Most of these interventions have limited to no dence that the procedure, at the current time, qualifies as a empirical evidence demonstrating their effectiveness, yet they pseudoscience and, therefore, should not be implemented with are widely implemented in home, school, university, and com- individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, espe- munity settings. In 1996, Green wrote a chapter in which she cially given the availability of alternatives which clearly meet outlined three levels of science: evidence science, pseudosci- the standard of evidence science. ence, and antiscience; professionals were encouraged to im- plement and recommend only those procedures that would be Keywords Applied behavior analysis . Evidence based . considered evidence science. Today, an intervention that is Social behavior . Social thinking . Autism commonly implemented with individuals diagnosed with au- tism spectrum disorder is Social Thinking®. This intervention In 1996, Green wrote a seminal chapter entitled, Evaluating Claims about Treatments for Autism.Inthischapter,Green * Justin B. Leaf described three levels of science (i.e., science, pseudoscience, [email protected] and antiscience) which can be utilized as a guide to evaluate treatments for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum Alyne Kassardjian disorders (ASD).
    [Show full text]
  • Pseudoscience and Antiscience in an Age of Science*
    THE OHIO JOURNAL OF SCIENCE VOL. 58 SEPTEMBER, 1958 No. 5 PSEUDOSCIENCE AND ANTISCIENCE IN AN AGE OF SCIENCE* WALTER C. KRAATZ Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio This paper is about an unpleasant subject, pseudoscience and antiscience. In this age of enlightenment and of a far-reaching public press, it seems incredible that these are so widespread. Possibly it is as we might expect from the perversity of human prejudice and the lag of the mind of the multitude behind the conceptions of the scientists. Pseudoscience and antiscience are not so distinct as they might seem. The old pseudoscience astrology and the strong antiscientific, antievolution movement which culminated in the antievolution law of Tennessee in 1925 and two other states shortly thereafter, will be cited. Astrology is still rampant. Daily astrological horoscopes are found in our newspapers and in the large magazine stores there are many astrological magazines. They do not appear antiastronomical and may seem to be a harmless absurdity. But try to show this absuridity to a confirmed believer and you will recognize the antiscience which animates him. In the antievolution movement there developed a strong pseudoscience. I refer not to the view of a large number of people, who, unaware of the nature and evolution of man and the universe, more or less feel they do not care about evolution or feel that evolution is irreligious. Instead, I refer to a relatively small number who write plausible tracts and books to be read by the aforementioned large group. For the most part these writers understand only a few of the facts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Demon Haunted World
    THE DEMON- HAUNTED WORLD Science as a Candle in the Dark CARL SAGAN BALLANTINE BOOKS • NEW YORK Preface MY TEACHERS It was a blustery fall day in 1939. In the streets outside the apartment building, fallen leaves were swirling in little whirlwinds, each with a life of its own. It was good to be inside and warm and safe, with my mother preparing dinner in the next room. In our apartment there were no older kids who picked on you for no reason. Just the week be- fore, I had been in a fight—I can't remember, after all these years, who it was with; maybe it was Snoony Agata from the third floor— and, after a wild swing, I found I had put my fist through the plate glass window of Schechter's drug store. Mr. Schechter was solicitous: "It's all right, I'm insured," he said as he put some unbelievably painful antiseptic on my wrist. My mother took me to the doctor whose office was on the ground floor of our building. With a pair of tweezers, he pulled out a fragment of glass. Using needle and thread, he sewed two stitches. "Two stitches!" my father had repeated later that night. He knew about stitches, because he was a cutter in the garment industry; his job was to use a very scary power saw to cut out patterns—backs, say, or sleeves for ladies' coats and suits—from an enormous stack of cloth. Then the patterns were conveyed to endless rows of women sitting at sewing machines.
    [Show full text]
  • Sociology: Proscience Or Antiscience? Author(S): Randall Collins Source: American Sociological Review, Vol
    Sociology: Proscience or Antiscience? Author(s): Randall Collins Source: American Sociological Review, Vol. 54, No. 1 (Feb., 1989), pp. 124-139 Published by: American Sociological Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2095666 Accessed: 02/06/2009 08:18 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=asa. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. American Sociological Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to American Sociological Review. http://www.jstor.org SOCIOLOGY: PROSCIENCE OR ANTISCIENCE?* RANDALL COLLINS Universityof California-Riverside Criticisms of the scientific status of sociology possess some validity when applied against narrowlypositivist interpretationsof sociological methodsand metatheory, but do not underminethe scientific project offormulating generalized explanatory models.
    [Show full text]
  • Vitalism in Contemporary Chiropractic: a Help Or a Hinderance? J
    Simpson and Young Chiropractic & Manual Therapies (2020) 28:35 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00307-8 DEBATE Open Access Vitalism in contemporary chiropractic: a help or a hinderance? J. Keith Simpson1 and Kenneth J. Young2* Abstract Background: Chiropractic emerged in 1895 and was promoted as a viable health care substitute in direct competition with the medical profession. This was an era when there was a belief that one cause and one cure for all disease would be discovered. The chiropractic version was a theory that most diseases were caused by subluxated (slightly displaced) vertebrae interfering with “nerve vibrations” (a supernatural, vital force) and could be cured by adjusting (repositioning) vertebrae, thereby removing the interference with the body’s inherent capacity to heal. DD Palmer, the originator of chiropractic, established chiropractic based on vitalistic principles. Anecdotally, the authors have observed that many chiropractors who overtly claim to be “vitalists” cannot define the term. Therefore, we sought the origins of vitalism and to examine its effects on chiropractic today. Discussion: Vitalism arose out of human curiosity around the biggest questions: Where do we come from? What is life? For some, life was derived from an unknown and unknowable vital force. For others, a vital force was a placeholder, a piece of knowledge not yet grasped but attainable. Developments in science have demonstrated there is no longer a need to invoke vitalistic entities as either explanations or hypotheses for biological phenomena. Nevertheless, vitalism remains within chiropractic. In this examination of vitalism within chiropractic we explore the history of vitalism, vitalism within chiropractic and whether a vitalistic ideology is compatible with the legal and ethical requirements for registered health care professionals such as chiropractors.
    [Show full text]
  • The Markers of Pseudoscience
    Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 128 International Scientific Conference "Far East Con" (ISCFEC 2020) The Markers of Pseudoscience R Livshits1 1Department of Philosophy, Social and Political Disciplines,Amur State University of Humanities and Pedagogy, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Science classes require from a person intellectual, volitional and moral qualities, which not all people possess. Therefore, a number of people who do not have the appropriate abilities are tempted to imitate science. Such imitation is called pseudoscience. On the вasis of what attributes can pseudoscience be identified? In modern methodological literature, a number of attempts have been made to answer this question. Some markers can be detected relatively easily. Other markers need some substantive text exploration. However it is impossible to limit by the criteria based on the synthesis of practical experience. A guiding idea is necessary to puzzle out not only simple, but also difficult cases. In our view, we should proceed from the principle of the text conformity to the norms of the scientific ethos. We proceed from the classical understanding of scientific activity as a scrupulous search for truth. It leads to the interpretation of pseudoscience as activity pursuing goals lying outside the science limits: material gain, fame, social status, etc. Therefore, if the signs of lack of conscientiousness are detected in the text it can be qualified as pseudoscientific with a high degree of probability. This approach allows to identify a specific type of pseudoscience, that we call "would-be science". Moreover, this approach makes it possible to qualify as pseudoscientific those texts, which are not scientific according to previously proposed criteria.
    [Show full text]
  • Thinking About Science and Christian Orthodox Beliefs: a Survey Study of Teacher Beliefs
    Thinking about Science and Christian Orthodox Beliefs: A Survey Study of Teacher Beliefs Seminar Paper Presented at the Mallinson Institute for Science Education April 11, 2011 William W. Cobern, Ph.D.* Edward B. Davis, Ph.D. The Mallinson Institute for Science Education Professor of the History of Science Western Michigan University Messiah College 3245 Wood Hall Grantham, PA 17027 Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Cathleen C. Loving, Ph.D. Jeff Terpstra, Ph.D. Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture Department of Statistics Texas A&M University Western Michigan University College Station, TX 77843-4232 Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] * Address correspondence to Dr. Cobern. Abstract Since its origination in the late 19th Century, the warfare metaphor has been used to characterize the relationship between science and religion, especially orthodox Christianity. Though thoroughly discredited by historians of science, the ideological descendants of Thomas Huxley, who spoke of science in quasi-religious terms, have kept the warfare metaphor alive. On the other hand, there are substantial numbers of Christians who at least appear to oppose science given their high-profile opposition to the general theory of evolution. The purpose of the research reported in this paper was to examine this specific question: is anti-science sentiment associated with increasing orthodox Christian belief? Two validated, published instruments were used: The Thinking about Science Survey Instrument and the Christian Fundamentalist Belief Scale. The subjects for the study were 970 preservice elementary teachers. The analysis did not show that anti-science sentiment increases with increasing Christian belief.
    [Show full text]
  • Pseudoscience Versus Science
    W&M ScholarWorks Arts & Sciences Articles Arts and Sciences Winter 11-2016 Pseudoscience versus science Hans Christian von Baeyer College of William and Mary, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/aspubs Recommended Citation von Baeyer, Hans Christian, Pseudoscience versus science (2016). PHYSICS TODAY, 69(11). 10.1063/PT.3.3345 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Arts and Sciences at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Arts & Sciences Articles by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pseudoscience versus science Hans Christian von Baeyer Citation: Physics Today 69, 11, 11 (2016); doi: 10.1063/PT.3.3345 View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/PT.3.3345 View Table of Contents: http://physicstoday.scitation.org/toc/pto/69/11 Published by the American Institute of Physics Articles you may be interested in Pseudoscience versus science Physics Today 69, 12 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3346 Pseudoscience versus science Physics Today 69, 10 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3342 Pseudoscience versus science Physics Today 69, 10 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3344 Pseudoscience versus science Physics Today 69, 10 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3343 Transforming nature Physics Today 69, 8 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3341 Commentary: The dangerous growth of pseudophysics Physics Today 69, 10 (2016); 10.1063/PT.3.3151 the passionate claims of pseudoscientific was well-packaged: “Well, there’s a book beliefs, it’s our duty to dust off our ne - for that!” Ham’s audience vibrantly ap- glected tools of scientific rhetoric.
    [Show full text]
  • Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale Religion
    Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale http://fore.yale.edu/ Religion and Ecology News Articles November – December 2016 November 2, 2016 Why understanding Native American religion is important for resolving the Dakota Access Pipeline crisis By Rosalyn R. LaPier The Conversation In recent weeks, protests against the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline across North Dakota have escalated. Native American elders, families and children have set up tipis and tents on a campsite near the pipeline’s path in the hope of stopping the pipeline’s construction. Dave Archambault Jr., the leader of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe that is leading the efforts to stop the pipeline, summed up what is at the heart of the issue. In a brief two-minute statement before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, he said, “Oil companies are causing deliberate destruction of our sacred places.” As a Native American scholar of environmental history and religious studies, I am often asked what Native American leaders mean when they say that certain landscapes are “sacred places” or “sacred sites.” What makes a mountain, hill or prairie a “sacred” place? Meaning of sacred spaces I learned from my grandparents about the sacred areas within Blackfeet tribal territory in Montana and Alberta, which is not far from Lakota tribal territory in the Dakotas. My grandparents said that sacred areas are places set aside from human presence. They identified two overarching types of sacred place: those set aside for the divine, such as a dwelling place, and those set aside for human remembrance, such as a burial or battle site.
    [Show full text]