The Witty Stride

–Satyakam Ray

In 2014, a Union education minister stated that astrology was superior to science during a parliamentary debate. In hindsight, the statement was a precursor to what’s coming our way about policy decision-making. The idea of promoting Bhabhiji Papad as an immunity booster against coronavirus has been well-received. This is particularly true among those with non-scientific temperaments. Nevertheless, the real scientific community appears perplexed. India stands at the crossroads between a scientific temper and an unquestioning belief in pseudoscience.

Why blame the current politicians for the state of discontent in Indian science? As citizens of India, we should also acknowledge our unfair and unscientific practices.

• Before even reading the main headlines in the newspaper, many people search for the astrology column. The situation is even worse on TV channels. A separate section is dedicated to daily astrology. It includes live sessions in which a “reputed” astrologer predicts anyone’s future.
• Before construction, Vaastu experts are consulted to decide the angle or direction. This decision affects the positioning of the house door and similar items. This defies any scientific logic.
• Unsuspecting women and their families avoid going to the doctor or fertility clinic. They visit some ‘Baba’ for magical prasad, which they believe to be the panacea for all infertility.

The list may continue if we include every activity we do without scientific justification.

What is a scientific temper?

Many Indians lack a fundamental understanding of scientific principles and a scientific temper. Scientific temper is a way of life. Discussion, argument, and analysis form the bedrock of information. These elements are essential before arriving at any definitive conclusion. It can also be applied in everyday life, not only in the scientific realm. Scientific temper involves thinking critically. It includes the ability to question authority without bowing down. It also requires refusing to mindlessly trust anybody or any argument for its own sake.

Persons possessing such a scientific temper are said to be scientifically literate. Scientific literacy is low among educated working professionals. This is puzzling, given how much time one spends learning scientific facts, yet fails to apply them when required.

Apart from intellectual scientific debacles, the ordinary person is always a victim of scientific illiteracy. Standard religious practices and widespread, naive beliefs play a crucial role. Organized religions don’t allow re-examination or scrutiny, at least not for the spiritual leaders of almost all religions. As envisioned by Karl Marx, “religion is the opium of the people.” It tends to close the mind and hinder free thinking. Few progressive thinkers, such as Swami Vivekananda, could bring a scientific temper to the study of religion. The basis for the coexistence of science and religion is the principle that one should not believe anything unless the truth is established. Alternatively, one may wait for a better explanation.

Reasons for scientific illiteracy:

• From school days onward, the inclination to question everything from any superior person is often suppressed. Alternatively, free speech is stifled somehow.
• Religious authority doesn’t permit questioning or examination. What’s written should be followed at any cost is the main mantra of these spiritually intolerant fundamentalist thinking processes.
• The inability to accept change in the thought process often results in scientific illiteracy. Change is inevitable, and one must adhere to it.

Cons of Scientific Illiteracy:

• Pursuing and believing in unscientific pseudosciences such as astrology and horoscopes can severely affect a person’s mental well-being and confidence.
• It can lead to the rise of hardliners and extreme ideologues who forcibly impose their belief systems on others. It can lead to an authoritarian religious state and anarchy. 
• Various con men cheat ordinary people and harass them in the name of religion and tradition.
• India could lose its international reputation as a knowledge powerhouse and a source of soft power. Scientifically illiterate people may destroy the very fabric of democracy we live in.

How do we curb scientific illiteracy?

• Free speech and liberalism should be promoted, as they offer a basis for diverse viewpoints. The media should be neutral and promote only scientific facts, not pseudoscience.
• The scientific community should be more vocal and strive to make science more accessible and popular. A scientific temper should be made compulsory, as it’s listed as one of the constitutional duties.
• Indian youth and the general public should question authorities on every aspect of policy changes. The public should promote and appreciate the use of scientific ways to achieve their goals. Young minds can play an essential role in spreading awareness.

Conclusion:

Recently, NASA landed its rover on Mars and examined the possibility of life on the Planet. The UGC wants students to take the ‘cow science’ exam at the university level in India. Every Indian should try to become scientifically literate now! This is necessary to avoid becoming a laughing stock in front of international scientists and leaders.