Does Science Matter?

Synopsis: Looks at the strength of the arguments in support of the claims that the public ‘should know more about science’. Loosely based on a article by Professor John Durant, four arguments are set: 1) practical: while scientific ‘facts’ are unhelpful, some scientific principles of science, such as the control trial and peer review, are; 2) economical: scientific knowledge is needed only for research, not for the average person; 3) democratic: the public misunderstand risk in a scientific sense, but can evaluate and use it. The public could also gain from understanding the conjectural nature of scientific knowledge; 4) cultural: scientific knowledge is interesting in its own right.
Series: Science Matters, Course S280
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 49 min.
Year of production: 1994
Availability: Sale; 1999 sale: £195.00 (+VAT +p&p)
Subjects: Science
Keywords: public understanding of science

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