Science and Ideology

The potential for science to become entwined with ideology does not necessarily undermine scientific claims or detract from science’s epistemic and cultural value. It hardly makes science trivial, or just one view among others. Science must be used well and taken seriously in order to solve real-world challenges. Part of taking science seriously involves judicious analysis of how ideologies might influence scientific processes and applications.

Eric C. Martin

Preparation

Do the following prior to the next class:

Talking out of school?

Below are quotes from three well-known scientists. Each is or was highly esteemed in their field of scientific expertise. Each is or was the epitome of a science communicator. Each had a profound influence on me as a child with interest and aptitude in math and science.

For Your Notebook: What, precisely, are the scientific disciplines represented here? To what extent does each statement fall within the realm of the speaker’s academic expertise? What contemporary science communicators have influenced your choice of major? Have they also influenced your worldview?

The Cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be.

Carl Sagan, Cosmos

The more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless.

Stephen Weinburg, The First Three Minutes

We can be proud as a species because, having discovered that we are alone, we owe the gods very little.

E.O. Wilson, Consilience

For Your Notebook: Given the quotes below and above, how much credence do you give to Stephen Jay Gould’s conception of non-overlapping magesteria.

Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything.

Catechism of the Catholic Church., in an introduction to the Nicene Creed.