Quetzal writes:
Sadly, ignoring a problem won't make it go away. It merely abdicates the field to the forces of ignorance and supertsitition.
I completely agree, and as long as the task is focused on science education then I think success is possible. Science can even point to a number of successes in the courts. But if the task is allowed to expand beyond that then it becomes daunting because t isn't just creationism. There's a long list of pseudo-scientific claims that laypeople have a weakness for. Just off the top of my head there's magnetic bracelets, astrology, UFOs, ESP, clairvoyance, pyramid power, spoon bending, etc., etc., etc.
And it isn't just pseudo-science that's a threat. Outside the realm of science there are pyramid schemes, lotteries, contests, stock-pushers, land schemes, get-rich-quick books and tapes, etc., etc., etc.
We need a high school course whose description runs, "As you prepare to enter the real world, this course will teach you how to navigate the flim-flam that attempts to separate you from both your money and your reason."
This is sort of an aside, but I've been asked my opinion in the past year or so about a couple schemes available on the Internet. Both are similar in that you pay an up-front fee and are given a set of webpages that are somewhat configurable. For example, you can define your own logo, control textual descriptions, etc.
One of these schemes is for selling a group of company's beauty products. You recruit customers who go to your website to purchase products, and you get a small commission on each sale. The only problem is that the products are available at all supermarkets and drugstores for the same price, even cheaper once you factor in shipping charges, and you don't have to wait for delivery. Only people doing you a favor would shop that way. I advised against it, the person tried it anyway, and now more than a year later she has yet to make a single sale.
The other scheme was financial. It's a complicated website and a complicated scheme, but basically you're set up to act as the middleman for selling financial paper and take a substantial commission for providing the service. I advised against this one, too, and a year later the person has yet to handle a single sale.
I believe the price of entry for the beauty product scheme was less than a $100, but for the financial service scheme was around $500, with much more money to be spent in training courses should you choose to take them.
I like these people no less for falling for these schemes, but despite how well I know them their experience provides me no insights as to why anyone could fall for them. It's a mystery.
Bringing this post back on topic, the average person in the world is always going to be vulnerable to a wide range of nonsense. There's probably nothing that can be done to change that. But I do think scientists have a serious responsibility to protect science education, and it's a big part of the reason this site exists.
--Percy
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