Scientifically Illiterate

[chad]

Whenever I'm engaged in a discussion about why and how fundys -- many of whom are otherwise intelligent people -- embrace a religious ideology that is brazenly irrational, one of the typical explanations is that fundys, for the most part, are scientifically illiterate. Of course, this implies that if fundys attained a passable level of scientific literacy, they would begin to realize the fallacious nature of the Bible and thereby join our ranks.

 

And speaking of scientific illiteracy, the world of academia often asserts, with great regret, that the majority of Americans (or at least a shocking number of Americans) are scientifically illiterate.

 

Therefore, I can't help but to wonder what exactly scientific illiteracy means. That is to say, what is the proper definition of scientific illiteracy? Anybody care to take a stab at providing a concrete, comprehensive explanation of scientific illiteracy?

[Jack]

http://www.webspawner.com/users/scientificilliteracy/

 

This person seems to make sense. Scientific illiteracy, IMO, is an ignorance of basic scientific concepts, especially in places where they affect your life. This is the creationist who doesn't understand that 'evolutionary theory' doesn't mean it's a mere hypothesis, for example.

[Thurisaz]

Of course, this implies that if fundys attained a passable level of scientific literacy, they would begin to realize the fallacious nature of the Bible and thereby join our ranks.

 

Sadly, I don't think so. Those who are merely ignorant can start to learn once they comprehend their situation, for who among us seriously wants to be incompetent in any field?

 

But with a True Morontheist™, another thing enters into the equation, and that's the pride of their own ignorance. They actually believe that not knowing shit about science (and reason, and life, and et cetera...) is a good thing.

 

I think that this page fits better, although it uses the very same term.

[Deva]

In the fundie church there is a hard core group of willfully ignorant people, for whom scientific literacy would never be sought, or ever be a factor. They would refuse to even look at what science says. This is the "Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it" crowd. No way I know of to break through that.

 

Then there are those in the fundie church (probably more than we think), usually younger people who were raised in it, that believe some but not all of it. There, we have hope that some scientific literacy would send them over the edge into an actual investigation of the facts.