the real problem in society is not whether we’re teaching our kids enough
whether we’re teaching our kids enough
whether we’re teaching our kids enough science because let’s say we started
science because let’s say we started
science because let’s say we started that tomorrow does that mean
that tomorrow does that mean
that tomorrow does that mean everything’s ok if we teach the 13 year
everything’s ok if we teach the 13 year
everything’s ok if we teach the 13 year old better STEM education to have a
old better STEM education to have a
old better STEM education to have a better stem teacher am I going to wait
better stem teacher am I going to wait
better stem teacher am I going to wait 40 years for that kid to become
40 years for that kid to become
40 years for that kid to become president to it and or member of
president to it and or member of
president to it and or member of Congress so that we now have a
Congress so that we now have a
Congress so that we now have a scientifically literate country no I’m
scientifically literate country no I’m
scientifically literate country no I’m not I’m not that patient for me the real
not I’m not that patient for me the real
not I’m not that patient for me the real challenge the real problem are
challenge the real problem are
challenge the real problem are scientifically illiterate adults adults
scientifically illiterate adults adults
scientifically illiterate adults adults are in charge there are five times as
are in charge there are five times as
are in charge there are five times as many adults as there are kids in this
many adults as there are kids in this
many adults as there are kids in this country the adults wield resources
country the adults wield resources
country the adults wield resources adults vote they’ll tell me well let’s
adults vote they’ll tell me well let’s
adults vote they’ll tell me well let’s fix the kids and everything will be fine
fix the kids and everything will be fine
fix the kids and everything will be fine fix the adults then the kids will be
fix the adults then the kids will be
fix the adults then the kids will be fine my field astrophysics
fine my field astrophysics
fine my field astrophysics may be at this point the only academic
may be at this point the only academic
may be at this point the only academic field where what I do is not counted
field where what I do is not counted
field where what I do is not counted against me at worst it’s just neutral
against me at worst it’s just neutral
against me at worst it’s just neutral many other fields of science spending
many other fields of science spending
many other fields of science spending your time that you might have been in
your time that you might have been in
your time that you might have been in the lab talking to the public going on
the lab talking to the public going on
the lab talking to the public going on nighttime talk shows going on comedic
nighttime talk shows going on comedic
nighttime talk shows going on comedic nighttime talk shows is viewed as a as a
nighttime talk shows is viewed as a as a
nighttime talk shows is viewed as a as a as a as a violation of the contract
as a as a violation of the contract
as a as a violation of the contract between you and your lab experiment
between you and your lab experiment
between you and your lab experiment I carried two titles I’m a research
I carried two titles I’m a research
I carried two titles I’m a research associate in our Department of
associate in our Department of
associate in our Department of astrophysics at the American Museum of
astrophysics at the American Museum of
astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History in New York I’m also
Natural History in New York I’m also
Natural History in New York I’m also director of the Hayden Planetarium and
director of the Hayden Planetarium and
director of the Hayden Planetarium and in that capacity it is fully expected by
in that capacity it is fully expected by
in that capacity it is fully expected by everyone around that I would be talking
everyone around that I would be talking
everyone around that I would be talking to the public but more important Carl
to the public but more important Carl
to the public but more important Carl Sagan basically did this first there’s
Sagan basically did this first there’s
Sagan basically did this first there’s spotty examples that preceded him but he
spotty examples that preceded him but he
spotty examples that preceded him but he did it in the biggest most significant
did it in the biggest most significant
did it in the biggest most significant way and he cleared a field and there’s
way and he cleared a field and there’s
way and he cleared a field and there’s blood on that field he was not warmly
blood on that field he was not warmly
blood on that field he was not warmly received by these activities what you’re
received by these activities what you’re
received by these activities what you’re going to be on The Tonight Show
going to be on The Tonight Show
going to be on The Tonight Show that’s isn’t that comedy but you’re a
that’s isn’t that comedy but you’re a
that’s isn’t that comedy but you’re a scientist maybe you’re not a serious
scientist maybe you’re not a serious
scientist maybe you’re not a serious scientist then there’s scientific
scientist then there’s scientific
scientist then there’s scientific cultural pressure against it at the time
cultural pressure against it at the time
cultural pressure against it at the time but then what do we notice in my field
but then what do we notice in my field
but then what do we notice in my field that members of Congress would be ready
that members of Congress would be ready
that members of Congress would be ready to vote on some budget and say wait a
to vote on some budget and say wait a
to vote on some budget and say wait a minute isn’t that on a space mission
minute isn’t that on a space mission
minute isn’t that on a space mission that I’ve heard about I saw Carl Sagan
that I’ve heard about I saw Carl Sagan
that I’ve heard about I saw Carl Sagan talk about that is that what you might
talk about that is that what you might
talk about that is that what you might you’re my constituent is that what you
you’re my constituent is that what you
you’re my constituent is that what you were telling yeah oh my gosh let’s do it
were telling yeah oh my gosh let’s do it
were telling yeah oh my gosh let’s do it and all of a sudden the tide waters rose
and all of a sudden the tide waters rose
and all of a sudden the tide waters rose for science funding members of Congress
for science funding members of Congress
for science funding members of Congress came to embrace the methods and tools of
came to embrace the methods and tools of
came to embrace the methods and tools of science and the fruits of its discovery
science and the fruits of its discovery
science and the fruits of its discovery if you feel strongly about your
if you feel strongly about your
if you feel strongly about your religious philosophies I will have
religious philosophies I will have
religious philosophies I will have nothing to say about it
nothing to say about it
nothing to say about it unless you want to change the curriculum
unless you want to change the curriculum
unless you want to change the curriculum in a science classroom and I would ask
in a science classroom and I would ask
in a science classroom and I would ask you I won’t fight you I will ask you why
you I won’t fight you I will ask you why
you I won’t fight you I will ask you why there’s no tradition of scientists
there’s no tradition of scientists
there’s no tradition of scientists knocking down the sunday-school door
knocking down the sunday-school door
knocking down the sunday-school door telling the preacher what to teach that
telling the preacher what to teach that
telling the preacher what to teach that is never a theist don’t even do that
is never a theist don’t even do that
is never a theist don’t even do that there is no scientist or atheist
there is no scientist or atheist
there is no scientist or atheist picketing outside of your church or
picketing outside of your church or
picketing outside of your church or synagogue or mosque you know that might
synagogue or mosque you know that might
synagogue or mosque you know that might not necessarily be true there is no such
not necessarily be true there is no such
not necessarily be true there is no such tradition so what is the motivation to
tradition so what is the motivation to
tradition so what is the motivation to try to take a religious philosophy and
try to take a religious philosophy and
try to take a religious philosophy and influence what goes on in science you
influence what goes on in science you
influence what goes on in science you can get up enough people to influence
can get up enough people to influence
can get up enough people to influence school board okay again I’m an educator
school board okay again I’m an educator
school board okay again I’m an educator so I’m here to tell you the consequence
so I’m here to tell you the consequence
so I’m here to tell you the consequence of that if you substitute religious
of that if you substitute religious
of that if you substitute religious philosophy for science there will be a
philosophy for science there will be a
philosophy for science there will be a generation of people who will not
generation of people who will not
generation of people who will not understand what science is and they will
understand what science is and they will
understand what science is and they will be intellectually crippled from
be intellectually crippled from
be intellectually crippled from contributing to what the centuries have
contributing to what the centuries have
contributing to what the centuries have demonstrated to be the most efficient
demonstrated to be the most efficient
demonstrated to be the most efficient engine of economic growth that has ever
engine of economic growth that has ever
engine of economic growth that has ever been devised and that is innovations in
been devised and that is innovations in
been devised and that is innovations in science and technology
”
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