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Show 6 OPINION Tuesday March 6, 2012 www.dailyutahchronicle.com Stop our anti-science culture For society to progress, political parties should nurture critical thinking MICHAEL UKKESTAD StaffWriter T here is a war on science in America. A large segment of the population is zealous in its disregard for and opposition to scientific knowledge. Although the conventional beltway wisdom is that the Republican Party is the anti-science party, this issue is not as partisan as it appears. It is scientific thinking that is based on evidence and logical induction that forms the basis of critical thinking. These thought processes have not only led to a better understanding of the world, but also serve to solve many of the problems our world faces now and will in the future. "Without having a public that is at least willing to engage with scientific ideas, I can't see how 1o, 20 years from now or probably even sooner we can have a healthy democracy," said famed theoretical physicist Brian Greene at a lecture on Wednesday at Kingsbury Hall. "How can people participate in the decision-making process if they aren't willing to engage with the core ideas that are needed to inform those decisions?" The GOP, of course, has been vocal in its opposition to the scientific consensus on several issues. Many of the candidates during the current primary have been unabashedly proud of scoffing in the face of insurmountable evidence that is contrary to their positions on issues such as global warming and evolution, favoring baseless pseudosciences such as intelligent design or denialism. Presidnetial candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have surged at various points in the race on anti-science platforms. Conversely, Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney have taken hits after supporting the scientific consensus on these two issues and have been criticized by their base for being too liberal. But this is not just a Republican issue. According to a 2008 Pew Research Poll, 39 percent of Republicans and 3o percent of Democrats believe that all species were created in their present form and 26 percent and 22 percent, respectively, believe the evolutionary process was directly guided by a supreme being. Although partisan opinions on global warming vary more, a significant chunk of both parties swim against the stream of scientific consensus. While 84 percent of the scientific community recognizes the causation between human activity and global warming, only 3o percent of Republicans acknowledge this, compared to 64 percent of Democrats. The universal nature of the American people's anti-scientific sentiment can also be seen in the anti-vaccination movement. While many of the leading opponents of vaccination such as Bill Maher, Jenny McCarthy and Robert Kennedy Jr. associate with the Democratic Party, the main body of the anti-vaccination movement is split evenly along party lines. WHAT srse osu./ \QM Ply •10o TW 6 "ClA6 Et acco g?, 5CIENINtroc V Igo 41114ESS os to gzetz WILLUS BRANHAM/The Daily Utah Chronicle This issue points out a serious direct consequence of unscientific thinking among the population. Following the controversy surrounding autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the 2000S, many parents stopped vaccinating their children. This led to a series of mumps and measles outbreaks across the First World resulting in several deaths. Even after the supposed link between autism and the vaccine was thoroughly debunked, many parents refused and continue to refuse to vaccinate their children. Besides the more immediate harmful effects of scientific incompetency, there are serious long-term implications. Through scientific advancement, the average American's lifespan is more than twice as long as it was in 1900 and diseases that were once death sentences have been turned into minor inconveniences or eradicated all together. If we are to keep up with this progress and overcome the environmental, medical and political challenges we face, it requires the popularization of scientific ideals. Being anti-science is no longer an option. If we are to continue to progress as a species, it is imperative that we embrace the scientific method that has brought about the greatest human achievements and promises to lead to many more. letters@chronicle.utah.edu College should do Inspiration comes by , . more to empower snaring our stories students early on I heard a story once about a boy who lost his voice. When this boy was young, all he did was talk. It was nearly impossible to get him to stop. He would tell his parents about everything he learned in school, from the math lessons he loved to the English lessons he hated. "Did you know that there's a bird with purple eyes, and the males make themselves all pretty for the females?" He would even tell complete strangers how curious he thought it was that adults don't smile at each other very often. All day, he would speak to anyone — he never ran out of breath. Everything changed one morning, though. He woke up as usual, on time and ready for the day, but his voice was gone. It was as if someone had stolen it overnight. He couldn't say a word and it made him want to scream. He thrashed about in his bed with his mouth wide open, trying to push something out. But there was nothing. He was so disheartened that he began to simply stare at the ground when he walked to school. He began to think that very few people around him cared anymore. Without his voice, he didn't feel funny or intelligent. He just became quiet StaffWriter and melancholy. The End. Well, this isn't actually where the story ends, but the rest of it has yet to be written. The truth is, I see this story all around me on campus. There are so many people making a morbid trek to class with their heads down and headphones in. No eye contact. No shared experience. Just get up, get done what needs to get done, and head home. Friends and parties on the weekends. After graduation, real-world job stuff. It makes me want to scream. As a commuter campus, we sadly have an inherent disadvantage. It is understandably difficult to get involved. But when we share ourselves with others, even strangers, we experience a great reward. The reward is inspiration: literally meaning "to breathe into." Our breath carries our voice, our voice carries our stories, and our stories carry our hearts. When we tell our stories, we breathe life into each other. We keep each other moving. It has been this way for all our human history. "When we tell our stories, it validates us in the world," said Jeff Metcalf, an English professor at the U and leader of an Honors Think Tank. "From prehistoric time, we have marked our lives by story." For some reason, whether it's the numerous psychological constructs we navigate through our lives or raw and unadulterated fear, people hold back. Even though it takes only eye contact, a friendly nod and a simple conversation. Rev. France Davis, pastor at Calvary Baptist Church and professor of black history at the U, gave advice on how to inspire. "Get to know one another. Be willing to share and listen. We can do it anywhere but there has to be a willingness." It all starts with a belief in our own stories. A belief with every breath we take and give back to the world matters. Even those who find it hard to breathe from the weights of the world pushing down, can pull through when inspired because when we tell our stories, we are the breath another might not think they have. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Online Comments On "For student-centric ideas, Sync party gets our vote" March 5, 2012. Editorial. Dizzy B. Posted on 3.5.12 at 9:40 a.m. Way to go Chrony for taking a stand for the party with an agenda that truly matters to the student body. -M. Utah Fan Posted on 3.5.12 at 8:53 a.m. Explain,The Chrony's online poll asked "Which political party will you support during the upcoming ASUU elections?" with Open Party dominating receiving 66% of the votes. However, the Chrony chose to endorse Sync, who only had 12% of those polled said they would vote for them. 22% of pollers-10% more than Sync-said they weren't even going to vote. Please tell me what the Chrony's rationalization was on this once. Charles Burnett Posted on 3.5.12 at 8:09 a.m. The Daily Utah Chronicle has every right to announce its support for student body candidates, but this particular endorsement is not appropriate. I like Jake Rush and think he's running a good campaign, but his employment with the Chronicle should necessitate neutrality on the newspaper's part. It doesn't matter if you hastily add an editor's note that says you aren't favoring him; if an employee of the newspaper is running for office, the newspaper should do everything it can to avoid the appearance of bias. If that means the paper has to opt out of its annual party endorsement, so be it. Just because you say "the decision to endorse his candidacy was based solely on his platform" doesn't make it true (or not suspicious to the campus community). T he buzzword "empowerment" gets remarkable press these days, but is surprisingly hard to define. Mimi A National Public Radio MARSTALLER search for empowerment reveals the variety of its applications: A Colombian activist empowers undocumented Latinos by teachStaffWriter ing them English and securing them jobs; the Supreme Court's lifelong learning and perseverance Citizens United case empowers are clearly traits that Williams and SuperPACS to raise unlimited funds Green hold important, and trace to support candidates; NBC's show back to their U careers. about Playboy bunnies claims it's What about money? College's all about empowering women to get most famous claim to empowerwhat they want. ment is its effect on earning power. At the heart of empowerment lies Rhea Hristou, also a teacher at the concept of power. In "EmpowerSt. Vincent's, said her master's in ment: What is it?" Nanette Page and education empowered her family Cheryl Czuba define empowerment by providing sufficient income to as a process that helps people gain fund top-notch schooling for her power within their own lives by alchildren. lowing them to take action on issues "Without that degree, our family they define as important. probably could not have afforded So certain skills will empower me these educations," she said. depending on what I deem imporThe U scored well on empowertant. ment with adults I spoke with, but I spoke to a handful of U gradufor students who haven't identified ates about how their education what is important to them, choosempowered them to lead the life ing the most empowering academic they want. The descriptions of their path can feel like a shot in the dark. empowered potential provided Once a student knows what area a portrait of what each person he or she wants to delve into, the deemed important. multitude of resources and opporMary Williams, a kindergarten tunities available through higher teacher at St. Vincent DePaul Catho- education ceases to overwhelm and lic School, said her Bachelor of begins to empower. Science in Early Childhood EducaThe first two or three semesters tion empowered her "to become should help students orient thema lifelong learner and ... to help selves to their own interests, but children begin their education, in even intro courses tend to be taught love with learning." as though each student in the class Gary Green, teacher and adminisis already dedicated to a degree in trator at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic that subject. School, said his time at the U emIf the U wants to empower stupowered his career by "helping me dents, it should provide intro classes improve my writing skills and teach- that are truly exploratory and ing me the value of perseverance." encourage students to distill from No one credited being able to the material what they find most construct a graph, or remember compelling, and to use those points an influential Supreme Court case, as a jumping-off point for their colas the empowering take-aways lege career. from their college education. But letters@chronicle.utah.edu .dailyutahchronicle.co |