Asking about science, asking for opinion
2005/11/01 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Interested in European sciences? It seems so, since 78% of respondents say they are interested in science and technology. Of course, as in all questionnaires, people tend to give an "adequate" response rather than recognize what they think for themselves.
Despite this, the report 'Europeans, science and technology' has highlighted the scientific issues that arouse the most interest: those who feel closer and those most cited by the media: the environment and technology
medicine. Thus, pollution is the one that awakens the most interest (87% very or quite interested in this matter), followed by medical findings (83%), new inventions and technologies, as well as scientific discoveries (78%), sports news (68%) and politics (71%).
Already in 1995 the Eurobarometer consulted only in the 12 countries that then composed the Union and, comparing with the results of then, it is observed that science and technology have been considerably tempered
interest. Thus, 56% responded that they were very interested in pollution, compared to 38%. The same trend is seen in the rest of the topics: people prefer to answer that they are quite interested than if they are very interested.
However, responses vary by country, gender, or level of studies. For example, 56% of Cyprus are very interested in inventions and new technologies, while in Lithuania and Romania only 15%. On the other hand, 40% of men are very interested and half of women. Finally, the higher the level of studies and the higher the social level, the higher the scientific interest.
Why don't you care about science?
The pollsters ask a good question: they ask those who have answered that they had no interest in inventions and new technologies, nor in scientific discoveries, why they are not interested. And the answer is clarifying. They say they do not understand it, the reason is that for 32% of those who recognize that science does not interest them.
But almost so many have responded that they don't care about the issue, while 16% think they don't need science and technology, so they don't care. It should be noted that those who do not understand are above all elderly people and people without studies. On the contrary, those who have shown their indifference are young and students.
Information can be one of the remedies to combat lack of interest. And of that they have also asked in this survey. In fact, they ask what information they think they have about sport, politics, pollution, medical discoveries, new inventions and technologies and scientific discoveries.
The answers point out that the information they supposedly receive is not comparable to the interest they have had. In fact, between 28% and 20% of respondents claim to have a lot of information about sport and politics, but only half of them think the same about the scientific topics mentioned above.
But do you care about being informed? In view of the results of the survey, it does not seem that people make a great effort to be well informed on scientific issues. 19% of respondents are accustomed to reading scientific news published in newspapers, internet or magazines, and half of them talk about it with their friends, but at the other extreme, they almost never attend conferences or congresses on science.
And do Europeans go to museums, libraries, etc. ? No, 44% never go to them, let alone science museums or technology centers.
If we look at the answers by country, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Luxembourg stand out, since one in three or four of its inhabitants have visited in the last year a science museum or a technology center. In Portugal, for its part, only 6% have attended and in France and Spain about 15% --Euskal Herria has not differentiated between paises-.
It also explains why those who do not go. Again, the main causes of disinterest are lack of understanding and neglect. On the contrary, attendees find it interesting, and they go because they like science and technology and want to learn something. Of course, one in three goes to help children or friends, so they go more than to have a real interest to favor others.
Science for good or evil?
Given the answers from other questions, in general, Europeans think positively about science and believe it is beneficial to society. In fact, more than three out of four people believe that advances in science and technology will contribute to curing disease, facilitating life and providing new opportunities for generations to come. However, only half of Europeans believe that science has more benefits than damage.
They are also quite skeptical about the impact science and technology can have on natural resources, as the fourth part does not believe that resources will last forever thanks to progress. For example, Turks, Italians and Icelanders are much more optimistic in this regard than Swedish, French, Czech and Finnish.
On the other hand, many Europeans (57%) believe that science and technology are the causes of most environmental problems. It is especially believed by young people, students and the unemployed. However, most Europeans believe that science and technology can do much to improve the environment. In short, almost all (81%) agree that a discovery is neither bad nor good, the key is how it is used.
From an economic point of view, two out of three consider that it is revived if it is invested in science and technology, while 55% believe that computers and automation represent a loss of employment. The response has been mainly in Germany and France, and it is not surprising, considering that recently there have been changes in many companies and that the unemployment rate has increased in both countries.
Intermediate ethics
Reluctance to science is evident in some issues and is evident in the report 'Social values, science and technology'. For example, 65% consider that biotechnology and genetic engineering will have a beneficial effect on life over the next twenty years. But asking for the opinion of some of the apps one by one, people are so suspicious of science.
For example, 60% do not accept human cloning, even if one parent suffers a genetic disease. Meat production in breeding media from cells to prevent animal slaughter is also unacceptable for more than half. In the same line, 37% do not want genetically modified plants to be used in agriculture, nor do they want more food to be offered around them. And almost all of this seems bad to use genetic treatments so that people do not fall into smoking or alcoholism.
However, on other issues there is not so much reluctance to scientific and technological advances. For example, 59% agree that everyone's genetic data is saved, if this serves to allow criminals to hunt easily (half of those who agree, yes, that the data is well controlled).
Finally, guess people's response to: "What do you think of developing genetic treatment to extend life for 25 years?" For only 12% agree with it, 26% see it well, but if done well regulated and controlled, 14% would accept it only in a special situation and is unacceptable for 42%. Interesting, right?
