Public Perceptions of Science

Science denial has been a major issue of concern in recent years. Many factors have been proposed as the cause of science denial, including political ideology, religious ideology, and purveyors of misinformation and doubt like antievolutionists, anti-vaccination proponents, and climate change skeptics. In Scienceblind, Andrew Shtulman, associate professor of psychology and cognitive science at Occidental College, discusses yet another factor that contributes to skepticism about established science. Shtulman provides an overview of intuitive theories about the world that develop early in life, have been consistently found in people of all ages, across many different cultures, and throughout history. These intuitive theories can pose barriers for students trying to learn many of the well-established, but counterintuitive, theories central to the biological and physical sciences. Shtulman argues that, “To get the world right we need to do more than just change our beliefs; we need to change the very concepts that...