Are Americans Hostile to Knowledge?

The New York Times is running a piece on Susan Jacoby and her latest book, The Age of American Unreason. In her book, Jacoby despairs on the anti-intellectualism and anti-rationalism of Americans. Not only are Americans ignorant of "essential scientific, civic and cultural knowledge, she said, but they also don’t think it matters." So who's to blame? Jacoby points to the education system -- with Americans spending more years in school, but learning less; and, religious fundamentalism. Sounds like a book Americans need to read.

Update: Feb. 19, 2008

• Susan Jacoby writes of the Dumbing of America in the Washington Post. Check it out.

Science, Evolution, and Creationism

The US National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine has just published Science, Evolution, and Creationism -- a book "designed to give the public a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the current scientific understanding of evolution and its importance in the science classroom." In the book, the Academy makes it quite clear that evolution is central to modern biology, yet continues to be challenged in the classroom by proponents of creationism and intelligent design. The Academy states in the book that science and religion can coexist, and present different ways of understanding the world.

This book is an update from previous versions published in 1984 and 1999. The Academy is trying to appeal to religious moderates in the face of rising religious fundamentalism in the US and educate the masses of uneducated in the US (aka: the general public).

In science, explanations must be based on evidence drawn from examining the natural world. Scientifically based observations or experiments that conflict with an explanation eventually must lead to modification or even abandonment of that explanation. Religious faith, in contrast, does not depend only on empirical evidence, is not necessarily modified in the face of conflicting evidence, and typically involves supernatural forces or entities. Because they are not a part of nature, supernatural entities cannot be investigated by science. In this sense, science and religion are separate and address aspects of human understanding in different ways. Attempts to pit science and religion against each other create controversy where none needs to exist.

Whether this education of America will actually work is up for debate. I'm not going to be an optimist on this one. Those that believe have no reason to want the education. They already have their belief that religion is correct, and science is the work of the devil. And on that score, they're already preparing for the battle.

Kurt Vonnegut, Dead

Kurt Vonnegut died from brain injuries as a result of a fall a couple of weeks ago. Read about the man on Wikipedia, then go borrow one of his books. (He's dead, he doesn't need you to buy his books anymore.) Vonnegut had great wit and had a keen eye for human nature. He left a legacy of excellent writing -- so really, his passing isn't really the end of him.

For those interested, check out this 8-part series from YouTube.

The Children of Húrin: J.R.R. Tolkien's Latest

Tolkien's The Children of Húrin is set to be published in April, after being worked on by J.R.R.'s son, Christopher, for about three decades. There's scant detail about the book, other than the little excerpts that has previously been released from J.R.R.'s drafts. The story is set way before the events of the Lord of the Rings -- in the First Age -- and deals with the human hero, Húrin, who is cursed by the Dark Lord Morgoth. The book is eagerly anticipated by Tolkien's fans, who are now speculating on the motion picture rights. More can be found at Wikipedia.