Science In Public: Communication, Culture, And Credibility [Paperback]

Jane Gregory (Author), Steven Miller (Author), Steve Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2000

Does the general public need to understand science? And if so, is it scientists' responsibility to communicate? Critics have argued that, despite the huge strides made in technology, we live in a "scientifically illiterate" society--one that thinks about the world and makes important decisions without taking scientific knowledge into account. But is the solution to this "illiteracy" to deluge the layman with scientific information? Or does science news need to be focused around specific issues and organized into stories that are meaningful and relevant to people's lives? In this unprecedented, comprehensive look at a new field, Jane Gregory and Steve Miller point the way to a more effective public understanding of science in the years ahead.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

We leave our cars to mechanics--why shouldn't we leave science to scientists? Science critic Jane Gregory and chemist Steve Miller tear down our preconceptions about popular science education and erect a scaffolding on which to build new communication systems with Science in Public: Communication, Culture, and Credibility. This deeply thoughtful book explores the lengthy history of scientific mass communication and the various rationales for encouraging greater public understanding of research processes and results. From Copernicus to Carl Sagan, great thinkers have tried to explain not just the facts and theories produced by science, but the very work itself. Their reasons are enlightening and more often than not surprisingly self-serving, but Gregory and Miller are careful to maintain a tone of fairness throughout. What can we learn about the various forces of academia, government, business, and the media that have profoundly different interests in scientific communication, and how can we use this awareness to best help all the people and systems involved? Science in Public seeks to calmly observe and judge these forces, occasionally using case studies, like the mad cow madness that struck Europe in the waning days of the 20th century, to illustrate points. Any reader interested in science or education will find it a challenging and provocative work. --Rob Lightner

Review

"Anyone in the business [of communicating science] who is unaware of the issues [that this book] discusses risks making a fool of themselves." -- New Scientist

"Even-handedness, comprehensiveness, and sheer accessibility make [this] an indispensable text." -- Nature

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 16 and up
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Perseus Publishing (August 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738203572
• ISBN-13: 978-0738203577
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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