It’s one of the aspects which annoys me in Bad Science because Ben does go out of his way to keep on telling us about awful Arts students who are rubbish at this. I imagine that they might be, proportionally, but the same critical and evidence-based values are no less a part of historical research or philosophical discussion – the broader community may place less overt value on them than the scientific one… but still.

So yeah, it’s a broader approach as well that’s partially failing where there is still perhaps more emphasis on accepting truths handed down rather than learning to understand those things and react critically to them.

Or something.

Still, I doubt anything quite this stupid would happen these days, if only because snake oil salesmen have learned it’s better to sell a product that does absolutely nothing rather than something that might potentially get them sued.

EDIT: I should mention that the vast majority of science teachers I’ve met have been dedicated individuals who were doing their best with a shitty, shitty syllabus. There may be a bit of confirmation bias at work there (only a good teacher would ask the Outreach team to come and give them a talk) but on the whole it isn’t their fault.

Although we may not have shed any ignorance we do, I think, have a little more collective sensibility about such things. Nevertheless, do you think there is any danger of something similar happening in this day and age?