© 1984 by The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
The Arrogance of Ignorance—Ignoring the Ubiquitous1
Professor Emeritus of Biology, University of Colorado, and President Emeritus, Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Boulder, Colorado
Anti-evolution, the rise of pseudo sciences, and the renewed interest in the occult, all masquerading as science, are symptomatic of the poor job that is done explicating science as a process and a way of knowing. Disciplinary teaching emphasizes fact over concept. Every science discipline should be taught witha process base pervasive from the first to the last day of the course. Science teaching needs be revamped to provide an integrated, nonredundant exposition of the discipline focussed on principles of which the theory of evolution is only one. Science must to be related both to technology and society. Teaching has to be directed to elicit the desired ends of education and not be regarded simply as a system to deliver fragments of knowledge. The participation of zoologists in delineating the discipline of science and countering pseudo science is essential. Scientists must become involved in science education and participate in updating teachers and insisting on their subject matter competence. University scientists must be concerned beyond the training of majors to provide meaningful education for nonscience majors as well. To ensure quality science education zoologists must become active in resisting incursions of scientific nonsense in science classrooms.