Science has the potential to make or break the United States and the world. It has the power to cure cancer and the power to blow up whole countries. For these reasons it is safe to assume that knowledge of the sciences is of the utmost importance in modern society. Jon D. Miller warns us in his article "What Colleges and Universities Need to Do to Advance Civic Scientific Literacy and Preserve American Democracy" that around the developed world scientific literacy is abysmally low with a mere 24% of Americans being satisfactorily literate. Scientific progress moves at an ever increasing rate and numbers like those presented by Miller should tell us that we are all doomed. But then again, maybe not.
Scientific literacy is important to me because I am intensely curious about science, but whether or not it is important to keep a functioning democracy is arguable. I agree that politicians need to be scientifically literate. It is definitely important that they understand the science behind the issues because there are several important debates being argued right now that are highly technical in nature. We depend on our elected officials to educate themselves (or have there interns do it, at least) and look at the data to make an informed decision.
Here is where you say, "But politicians don't always do that. They refute solid scientific evidence frequently and end up basing there decisions on moral, religious, or partisan affiliations." An excellent point, which in fact supports the idea that scientific literacy is hardly important at all. There are many politicians that seem to be able to look at a mountain of data saying global warming is real and then throw it in a landfill somewhere while they go off and start a tire fire at an endangered species hunting party. So, who cares about what the science says? I do! ... but my elected official doesn't and neither do most Americans according to the most recent Gallup poll which came out at the beginning of the month. It is a poll that asks which issues are most important to them. A mere 1% said the environment, which is probably one of the greatest existential threats facing our species besides nuclear proliferation. Another 4% said healthcare, while nobody said energy or lack of resources or overpopulation. These issues are scientifically driven and few people seem worried.
The issues topping the poll are things like governmental dissatisfaction, the economy in general, the national deficit, unemployment, and other such issues. And who can blame the American public for being concerned about those things? These are issues that affect us every single day. Does that make them the most important? Absolutely not, but they are the most pressing and the ones that hit the closest to home. Unless rising sea levels are carrying your house out to sea (which they may do one day) then global warming probably seems a pretty distant and unimportant issue.
So, how do we make people care about science? How do we make them understand that it could save them? Or destroy them? Simply, we cannot. Not by writing about it, anyway. The only way science will ever interest anyone is by making it personal. Talk to people going working in medical research, for instance, and you will likely find someone who knew a friend or family member affected by cancer, ALS, or Downs syndrome, which has pushed them to do their research. I love science because my father loves it and he taught me to enjoy it, too. If my parents hadn't encouraged my scientific curiosity I am sure I wouldn't be studying chemistry at all.
So the final question is: can we increase scientific literacy and save our our democracy? No, for two reasons. One, people don't care about science. It isn't at the forefront and it may not be for a long time. Two, we aren't going to magically breed an interest in science among the general public by writing articles in an often skipped over "Science" section of a dying media outlet. Scientific literacy can only be fostered within schools and homes where people can have role models who love science. Scientific literacy is important, but only to some of us, and it is certainly not important in maintaining our democracy... at least not yet.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/1675/most-important-problem.aspx
This is the link to the Gallup poll referenced above.
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