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"Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government."
—Thomas Jefferson
Many of the most pressing problems facing today's world are related to scientific advances that have outpaced public education and policymaking. At a time when science is influencing every aspect of modern life and driving the global economy, anti-science attitudes have moved into the mainstream. Some of the most contentious public debates over issues ranging from global warming and creationism to vaccinations and biodiversity are based on complex scientific concepts critically in need of informed civic dialogue. But science has become a more taboo topic than religion on the campaign trail and in the media. So are the people still well-enough informed to be trusted with their own government? Will democracy survive the age of science? Trace the history of America's complex love/hate relationship with science, beginning with the emergence of the environmental movement in the 1970s. Using engaging photographs, graphics, and video, this seminar will provide a behind-the-scenes view of how the public, politicians, and media are ignoring the very solutions we need most in order to prosper in a science-driven era. Tuition includes refreshments.
Recommended reading: Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America by Shawn Lawrence Otto.
Event Id: 186471, , 10/20/2012 - 10/20/2012, Continuing Ed & Conference Ctr, See monitor for room assignment; - 1890 Buford Ave, St Paul, M