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Is America the most brainwashed country on Earth?/least scientific belief

PhDeac said:
Well said. The science illiterate public makes it harder for the public to understand science.
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This is very true. It is a combination of factors with the biggest being core science education. Raw unfiltered paper form science is almost impossible to boil down to talking points that the media can use and want to use. That is why you get statements all the time about the next new thing that cures cancer. Adding to this pile of science illiteracy is the inability of those doing the research to communicate it effectively especially since some of these people are the most socially awkward individuals in the world.
 
PhDeac said:
He's probably talking about the back and forth on questions like "do eggs cause high cholesterol?" or "is it ok to have wine when pregnant?"


I don't think the problem is science. It's probably more the journalists dumbing down the findings for the public.
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bigdoublezero said:
I mean, to be fair, it's not like doctors haven't been doling out diet advice on those same studies.
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TownieDeac said:
Responsible doctors haven't.
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bigdoublezero said:
That's bullshit. Be serious.
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TownieDeac said:
Be more specific. What are you disagreeing about?
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If you think responsible doctors haven't been giving diet advice to people based on new science, I don't know what to say. Maybe you should go to the doctor more often?
 
ThinkingWithMyDeac said:
This is very true. It is a combination of factors with the biggest being core science education. Raw unfiltered paper form science is almost impossible to boil down to talking points that the media can use and want to use. That is why you get statements all the time about the next new thing that cures cancer. Adding to this pile of science illiteracy is the inability of those doing the research to communicate it effectively especially since some of these people are the most socially awkward individuals in the world.
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I once had the statement in a press release about the ultimate conclusion of my graduate work changed from "identified a pathway critical for controlling oral fungal infections" to "team of researchers have identified cure for deadly fungal infections". I neither found a cure nor was the actual infection in question particularly fatal (really not fatal at all) but hey, it sounds better for the University. I didn't find out about the edits until after it was published.

And ignore pour on most anything related to science. He has proven himself to, in general, be full of it.
 
bigdoublezero said:
If you think responsible doctors haven't been giving diet advice to people based on new science, I don't know what to say. Maybe you should go to the doctor more often?
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We're probably only disagreeing about the extent of "new." No need for the condescending language. I work with docs and researchers.
 
This is how diet conversation goes;

Patient presents to clinic complaining of, frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased fatigue. Initial nurse observations include no obvious fever, shortness of breath, blood pressure numbers 150/95, weight 280lbs.

Dr: Hey how are you doing sir, what brings you to the clinic today
Patient: I have been so thirsty lately and just been feeling really low.
Dr: Have you noticed any changes in appetite?
Patient: Yes, I seem to be hungry all the time, I have been trying to lose weight though.
Dr: For how long has this thirst and low feeling been occurring?
Patient: It has been maybe a month, it comes and goes though.
Dr: What do you drink when you are thirsty
Patient: Usually Coke, sometimes Orange Soda.
Dr: Are you following any particular diet, or seeing a dietician?
Patient: I have tried every diet, a little here and there nothing particular though and nothing works.
Dr: Do you exercise regularly?
Patient: I try, but my legs hurt after a little bit so not really
Dr: Well I'm going to draw some blood and run some tests, if you will be sit right here the nurse will be right back
Patient: Ok
Dr: Ok well you initial tests came back and like I expected you are in the early stages of type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels are 140mg/dl. We are going to need to do a fasting and retest sir but it looks like this is the cause of your symptoms.
Patient: Oh no, my mom and my sister both have this, is there anything I can do?
Dr: Well with a controlled diet, and proper exercise this is at an early enough stage that we most likely can reverse course and you can lead a healthy life free of diabetes.
Patient: Well can't you just write me a prescription of something?
Dr: Prescription are usually a last resort, all you really need is to eat better, exercise, and watch you weight.
Patient: Well my sister seems to be doing fine and she takes Jamva or something.
Dr: I think you mean Januvia, and everyone responds differently to medicine. I really think diet and exercise are the best option at this time.
Patient: I don't know I saw something online that said these drugs are amazing.
Dr: Well lets set you up with that fasting test and we will go from there.
 
I guarantee you that a large number of well intentioned doctors are currently giving their patients medical advice that is not only incorrect, but will eventually be shown to have harmed their patients.
 
ThinkingWithMyDeac said:
This is very true. It is a combination of factors with the biggest being core science education. Raw unfiltered paper form science is almost impossible to boil down to talking points that the media can use and want to use. That is why you get statements all the time about the next new thing that cures cancer. Adding to this pile of science illiteracy is the inability of those doing the research to communicate it effectively especially since some of these people are the most socially awkward individuals in the world.
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BigTreeDeac said:
I once had the statement in a press release about the ultimate conclusion of my graduate work changed from "identified a pathway critical for controlling oral fungal infections" to "team of researchers have identified cure for deadly fungal infections". I neither found a cure nor was the actual infection in question particularly fatal (really not fatal at all) but hey, it sounds better for the University. I didn't find out about the edits until after it was published.

And ignore pour on most anything related to science. He has proven himself to, in general, be full of it.
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Both reasons why those of us in academia need to write up our own press releases and do a better job of teaching students in our intro courses how to interpret research and engage in the appropriate critical thinking. They may end up writing about or reading about our findings someday.
 
so we're blaming uniformed doctors for evil, misleading "Science"

how did some of you get through WF?
 
My doctor told me not to use a rusty straight razor to shave my balls. Junk science or no?
 
The more I think about this, the more I pass the buck around in my head about our scientific illiteracy. A big part of it has to be primary and secondary education. I would love to just blame Christianity, but there are countries more Christian than us who can also simultaneously respect scientific canon. I would love to blame the media, but it's lazy and only tells a portion of the story.

So I think I'm going to just blame Lectro.
 
TownieDeac said:
The more I think about this, the more I pass the buck around in my head about our scientific illiteracy. A big part of it has to be primary and secondary education. I would love to just blame Christianity, but there are countries more Christian than us who can also simultaneously respect scientific canon. I would love to blame the media, but it's lazy and only tells a portion of the story.

So I think I'm going to just blame Lectro.
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:squint: source?
 
this doesn't argue my christianity/science point, but it is interesting

PISA-rankings-within-OECD-001.jpg
 
TownieDeac said:
The more I think about this, the more I pass the buck around in my head about our scientific illiteracy. A big part of it has to be primary and secondary education. I would love to just blame Christianity, but there are countries more Christian than us who can also simultaneously respect scientific canon. I would love to blame the media, but it's lazy and only tells a portion of the story.

So I think I'm going to just blame Lectro.
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tl;dr townie is a ukranian nazi's sympathizer
 
I only ask, Townie, because there aren't a lot of countries "more Christian" than the United States outside of South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
 
We should call the 50 people who live in the Pitcairn Islands that are 100% Christian and gauge their science literacy.
 
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