Understanding the
Nature of Science:
A Critical Part of the Public Acceptance
of Evolution
by Keith B. Miller
Department of Geology
Kansas State University
ABSTRACT
Challenges to modern evolutionary
science are often rooted in fundamental misconceptions of the nature of science
itself. Among
the public,
there is
a widespread perception that the focus of science on natural cause-and-effect
explanations is a thinly disguised effort to promote a godless worldview, rather
than an inherent methodological limitation. This false “warfare” or
conflict view of science and faith underlies much of the public rejection of
the conclusions of modern science. Furthermore, theories are commonly
viewed as merely unsubstantiated guesses, rather than as the unifying concepts
that
give our observations coherence and meaning. Theories within the historical
sciences, in particular, are seen as being inherently untestable. Because
historical theories are viewed as untestable guesses, it is argued that all “theories” have
a right to a hearing in the public science classroom.
Science for many is simply
an encyclopedic accumulation of unchanging observational “fact.” The
dynamic nature of science with the continual revision of theoretical constructs
becomes for them evidence of the fleeting validity of scientific “truth.” The
tentative and open-ended nature of scientific conclusions has trouble gaining
traction in a culture that seeks certainty and simplicity. Many students
are
impatient with the often ambiguous and complex answers of science.
The future
of scientific literacy will depend on how we respond to these misconceptions
as scientists and educators. It is important that we are attentive to
teach not just the content of our science, but also its methodological foundation. The
nature and limitations of science must be taught consciously and explicitly.
An accompanying powerpoint
presentation from Miller begins with two principles
— 1) science educators have largely failed to communicate the processes by
which scientific
understandings
of the natural world are obtained, and 2) widespread misconceptions of
the
nature of science underlie much of the popular resistance to the conclusions
of modern
science, particularly evolution — and continues with six
misconceptions (about the nature of science)
plus
explanatory responses.
This talk was part of a session — Speaking Out for Evolution: Rationale
and Resources for Supporting the Teaching of Evolution — on October 16,
2005 for the annual meeting of The Geological Society of America. You
can
read titles
& abstracts for other talks in the session, by
Carol
Tang, Scott Sampson, Carl Bergstrom, Judith Scotchmoor, Mark Terry, Patricia
Kelley, and Eugenie Scott.
you can read
and pages by other authors about
warfare between science and faith & methodological
naturalism
this page is http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/mn-km.htm