Does Engineering Education Breed Terrorists?

[cprise]

23. Look up "cornucopianism"

And while you're at it, consumerism.

Part of real science and technology literacy is learning the difference between the two, and when science tells us when to say 'no' to some industrial processes (which, I'll remind readers, are money-making schemes foremost).

Half of science is being skeptical... at least it has to be if it is to avoid looking like a farce. And that's why pure research is vitally important.

Technology and engineering, not so much... they tend to give rise to panglossian narratives of hype and credulity because they have something to sell. I think computerized voting exemplifies how this mindset can create big problems. Also, the industrial mindset that gave rise to "Better Living Through Chemistry" where you weren't supposed to question the validity or safety of new chemical products; It was a mindset that sought to attack scientists like Clair Patterson.

Why do you think most Americans came to the US originally? It was to get away from that kind of thinking.

Seriously - Europe is the seat of the Enlightenment, and it would be difficult to separate it from America in any scientific sense at least until the mid-20th century when Americans went bonkers for Christian fundamentalism.