A recent Newsweek article by Sharon Begley proposes an alternative direction for science education. "I hereby make the heretical argument that it is time to stop cramming kids' heads with the Krebs cycle, Ohm's law, and the myriad other facts that constitute today's science curricula," writes Begley. "Instead, what we need to teach is the ability to detect Bad Science -- BS, if you will."
Begley cites among other things, the prevalence of observational studies that make the premature leap between correlation and causation. For example, studies have shown that moderate drinkers have less heart disease than those who don't drink at all, but many have used these studies to justify the claim that moderate drinking itself causes a reduced risk of heart disease.
The article deals with a fundamental philosophical question: Is it more important to teach subject matter, or the intellectual skills necessary to understand, interpret and appreciate subject matter? According to Begley, the latter would not only keep students more engaged, but ultimately yield better-educated graduates.
