This is a short essay that was submitted to the new podcast ‘Strange Quarks‘ – and I strongly recommend that other podcasters consider sending in their own short essays! This is a short overview on the contribution of science education to challenging paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs in females.
The influence of mainstream education in the face of numerous factors that encourages anomalistic beliefs naturally diminishes, although a good science education can definitely play a part in improving the lives of young people. Especially when the sciences are so important to the future progress of every country. Even the skeptically-minded themselves should be critically evaluating how they challenge predominant attitudes towards homeopathy, alternative medicine and the like in young women – and whether making a difference requires different approaches that are more sensitive to the influences on their lives.
Strange Quarks is a podcast on science, pseudoscience, skepticism and evidence-based policy. It is made by Michael Marshall and Martin Robbins for the Pulse Project. http://strangequarks.net/. Many thanks to Jean-Michel Abrassart of http://scepticismescientifique.blogspot.com, who always encourages me to keep doing essays.
This show is available on Zune, mp3 via Libsyn or iTunes. Visit www.tokenskeptic.org – and I’d love to hear your feedback at tokenskeptic@gmail.com. Theme songs are ‘P&P’ by Derek K Miller of www.penmachine.com and ‘365’ by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com.