Why Darwin Matters

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i sa have that we reprinted william jennings bryan's closing statement at the scopes trial, which he was not allowed to give. We republished it in sceptic as the the reason why people deny evolution. And this wash 25 years ago, as interviewing college freshman and one on epistemic cognition. I was seeing them at multiple time points over their first semestor of college. i think the struggle within people who are coming to grips with us is more palpable than i knew.

Michael Shermer speaks with Gale Sinatra and Barbara Hofer about the key psychological explanations for science denial and doubt that can help provide a means for improving scientific literacy and understanding — critically important at a time when denial has become deadly. Sinatra and Hofer offer tools for addressing science denial and explain both the importance of science education and its limitations, show how science communicators may inadvertently contribute to the problem, and explain how the internet and social media foster misinformation and disinformation. The authors focus on key psychological constructs such as reasoning biases, social identity, epistemic cognition, and emotions and attitudes that limit or facilitate public understanding of science, and describe solutions for individuals, educators, science communicators, and policy makers. If you have ever wondered why science denial exists, want to know how to understand your own biases and those of others, and would like to address the problem, this book will provide the insights you are seeking.