Transcript Evolution vs. Intelligent Design: Lessons from the

Evolution vs. Intelligent
Design: Lessons About
Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
July 18, 2008
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
We have a problem in the United States (at least)
 The science-society relationship is experiencing
significant tension
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
People generally still respect science and
technology….
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Source: Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
European Optimism Regarding
Contributions of S&T to Quality of Life
100
90
80
70
60
Percent
Agree
50
Disagree
40
Don't know
30
20
10
0
S&T have improved the quality of life S&T will improve the quality of life of
for your generation
future generations
Source: Eurobarometer, 2005
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
But there is increasing tension in the
relationship
 From encroachment of science on issues of core
human values
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
This is not a totally new problem
 Is the world flat or round?
 Should scientists work on nuclear weapons?
 Vaccination
 Recombinant DNA
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Current scientific issues that abut against
core values
 Embryonic stem cell research
 Studying “personal” topics
 Sex
 Genetics of behavior
 Neuroscience
 Where is your mind?
 Where is your soul?
 “Intelligent Design” versus evolution in science
classrooms and science museums
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Many Americans have reservations about science
Agree
Disagree
%
%
Scientific research these days doesn’t pay
enough attention to the moral values of society
56
37
We depend too much on science and not
enough on faith
50
45
Science and Engineering Indicators, 2006
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
European Views of Science and Faith
60
50
40
Agree
Percent
30
Disagree
Neither agree nor
disagree
20
10
0
We depend too much on science and not enough on faith
Source: Eurobarometer, 2005
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Conflict with values is affecting the whole sciencesociety relationship
 Creating a divide between science and the rest of
society
 Society wants to influence science
 Rather than just the reverse
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Teaching evolution versus “Intelligent Design”
 Today’s version of “Creationism”
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Intelligent design claims to believe in gradual
change
 But a supernatural being guided the process
 Claims to be a scientific, alternative theory to
evolution
 Advocates argue “teach both theories” in science
classes
 It is not a theory
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
It is the modern version of “creationism”
 But does not argue biblical literalism
 An “intelligent designer” put it all in clearly outlined
motion
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
People have been fighting creationism for
a long time
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
“The attempts …to suppress all teaching of
evolutionary theory…are a menace not only to freedom
but to liberal education….Efforts to keep students from
knowing about it are not only futile, but they constitute
a violation of the rights of students to know what is the
consensus of the best opinion on a great problem.”
American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
Committee on Freedom of Teaching Science, 1925
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Evolution of “intelligent design”
 1859 – Origin of the Species
 1923 – First anti-evolution (in schools) bills past
 1925 – Scopes trial in Tennessee
 1925-1930 – 35 new anti-evolution bills introduced
 1947-1948 - Supreme Court bans religion in public schools
 1950 - Pope accepts evolution
 1981 – “Equal time for creationism” bills adopted in LA and AK
 1987 – Supreme Court overturns LA bill
 1990 - Intelligent design begins to gain ground
 1999 – Kansas stops teaching evolution (reversed in 2001)
 2005 – Federal Court (in Dover, PA case) rejects Intelligent
Design as religion
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
New “Academic Freedom” legislation
 Florida
 Louisiana
 Missouri
 Michigan
 Alabama
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= “Intelligent design” initiative eruption
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Issue has not been limited to the schools
 IMAX Theaters
 Museums
 Commercial film
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Creation Museum, Petersburg, Kentucky
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Creationism/ID Intrusion Events in Europe
 2004: Italian Education Minister removes evolution from the
curricula of middle schools
 After protests, partially reintroduced
 2005: Dutch Education Minister: “You have to admit that evolution
theory is not complete.”
 2006: British creationist group, Truth in Science, sends
information packs to every secondary school
 UK government opposes its use
 2006: Polish MEP holds workshop for EU Parliament members
called “Teaching evolution theory in Europe: is your child being
indoctrinated in the classroom?”
 2006: The Atlas of Creation delivered to schools throughout
Europe and United States
 2007: Pope Benedict XVI published Creation and Evolution,
claiming evolution has not been “proven” and that science has
narrowed humanity’s view of creation
 2007: Hessian culture minister called for integration of biblical
version of creation into modern biology instruction
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
How could this be happening in the modern US?
 And Europe
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2005
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Source: Miller, et. al. Science
313, 765 (2006).
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
What to do?
 Typical strategy is to advocate more public
education about science
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
But we can’t just “educate” our way out of it
 People do understand much of what we’re saying
 They don’t like it
 Conflict with core values wins out over societal
benefits
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
We must go beyond public
education/understanding
Public Understanding +
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Public
Understanding
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Public
Engagement
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
This involves changing the nature of the
communication
Communicating
to the public
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Communicating
with the public
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Monologue
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Dialogue
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Public engagement can be done in a variety
of ways
 Public forums/town meetings
 Most don’t work well
 Visits with community groups
 Small group, problem-solving sessions
 Exploiting natural opportunities
 Science museums and centers
 Physicians offices
 Over the neighbor’s fence
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
AAAS “Glocal” strategy
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Working with local opinion leaders and resources
(AAAS “Glocal” Strategy)
 Local media and op-eds
 Clergy
 School officials
 Local government leaders/politicians
 Science museums and centers
 Community groups
 Town meetings
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= “Intelligent design” initiative eruption
= AAAS intervention
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= “Intelligent design” initiative eruption
= AAAS intervention
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
There has been some progress at the local level
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Dover, PA, case
Ohio school board reversed requirement on curriculum criticizing
evolution
Wisconsin bill to require teaching evolution
Kansas’ Manhattan-Ogden School District’s refusal to adopt new
standards
Failure of Utah to pass anti-evolution curriculum bill
Oklahoma bill died in committee
South Carolina education standards (including evolution)
affirmed
Failure in Nevada to amend constitution to require teaching
“strengths and weaknesses” of evolution
Failure of some “Academic Freedom” bills

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Except Louisiana
Lessons from the
ID/Evolution wars
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Lessons from the ID/Evolution wars
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Respond within the news cycle
Go glocal
Things need to be made personally meaningful to people
Never debate an ideologue
Only we care about the integrity of science
 If people don’t like what science is showing, they do feel free
to ignore or deny it
 We need to teach about the enterprise of science, not just
content
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Don’t let ideologues redefine science!
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
One can’t deal with the extremes
 Evangelical fundamentalists
 Evangelical atheists
 Militant agnostics
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
One can work with
 Undecideds
 Rational middle
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
The fact that some scientists believe
something does not automatically make it
scientific…..
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Limits of science
 Explanations must be based on naturally occurring
phenomena
 Natural causes of events in the natural world
 Any scientific explanation has to be testable
National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, 2008
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Ultimate lesson
 Never pit science against religion!
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Science and religion address separate
aspects of human experience
 Science can neither prove nor disprove religion
 Both science and religion are weakened by claims
that something not yet explained scientifically must
be attributed to a supernatural deity
National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, 2008
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Why does all this matter so much?
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Science and technology are increasingly
imbedded in every aspect of modern life
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
Some major global societal issues
 Environmentally sustainable development
 Need for renewable energy sources
 Information and communications technology
 Universal access to education
 Poverty and economic opportunity
 Technology-based manufacturing and jobs
 Intellectual property rights
 Terrorism
 International security
 Natural disasters
 Science and technology capacity building
 Vaccines and medical therapies against infectious
diseases
 Quality and accessibility of health care
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
That science is everywhere means:
 For people to prosper in modern society, they need
understanding and comfort with S&T
 For science to prosper, the science-society
relationship must be positive and strong
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
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Evolution vs. Intelligent Design:
Lessons About Science Communication
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, July 28, 2008
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