Blinkers: scientific ignorance and evasion
| Dates: | 18 December 2014 |
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| Times: | 13:00 - 14:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | Adults, Alumni, Current University students, University staff |
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| Speaker: | Dr Charles Pasternak |
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Host: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences
About the event:
Based on Charles Pasternak’s latest book: Blinkers: Scientific ignorance and evasion (Smith-Gordon, Cambs, 2012)
We pay lip service to science, but do we accept the need to place it at the heart of education so that it becomes natural for politicians and leaders to be well equipped to understand the world we live in?
I don’t think so. Ignorant politicians formulate inappropriate policies, and untrained journalists bombard us with dodgy information. Scientists themselves sometimes evade the facts in order to present politically acceptable conclusions.
In this talk I illustrate some of these matters with reference to some Nobel prizes, to the ‘Two cultures’, to astrology, to AIDS and HIV infection, and to religious belief.
If a background in science makes for better politicians, can we identify any who have
Speaker
Dr Charles Pasternak
Role: President
Organisation: Oxford International Biomedical
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Michael Smith Lecture Theatre
Michael Smith Building
Manchester
