The Humanist View of Science and the Future
Delivered to the American Humanist Association in 1984, reflecting on scientific literacy, human dignity, and the role of rational thought in democracy.
Full Transcript
There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’
Science does not purvey absolute truth. Science is a mechanism; it is a way of trying to improve your knowledge of nature, to discover the laws that govern the physical universe.
When scientists make a mistake, they publish their data, invite peer review, and correct the error. That is not a weakness; it is the ultimate strength of rational enquiry.
If we are to survive as a technological civilization, we must educate our citizens to think critically, to question dogma, and to appreciate the beauty of scientific discovery.
Defining Key Excerpts
"The cult of ignorance in the United States has been a constant strain, and there is a anti-intellectual thread winding its way through our political and cultural life."
"Science does not purvey absolute truth, science is a mechanism. It's a way of trying to improve your knowledge."
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