Believing in Science - Naomi Oreskes

According to Naomi Oreskes, why should we believe in science?

• Because scientists follow a method that guarantees the truth of their claims

• Because science is evidence-based

• Because scientists are experts in their own fields

• Because of the consensus among scientists

What does Naomi Oreskes mean by 'organized skepticism'?

• Scientists collectively scrutinize data and evidence from a position of distrust

• Scientists blindly accept claims without questioning them

• Scientists are skeptical of any new ideas or discoveries

• Scientists are skeptical of the scientific method

How do scientists reach consensus on a scientific conclusion?

• By conducting experiments and making observations

• By publishing their results in scientific journals

• By reviewing and vetting each other's work

• By following the scientific method

What does Naomi Oreskes say about papers in scientific journals that are subsequently disproven?

• They are evidence of what's wrong with science

• They discredit the entire scientific community

• They show that scientists are dishonest

• They demonstrate the self-correcting nature of science

Why is the authority of the collective scientific community considered trustworthy?

• Because scientists are smarter than the average person

• Because scientists have Ph.Ds

• Because the collective knowledge and work of scientists leads to consensus

• Because scientists are always right

Which of these is an example of a major change in scientific thinking? Select all that apply.

• The discovery of gravity

• The acceptance of evolution by natural selection

• The belief in the safety of vaccines

• The understanding of the bending of space-time by mass

• The replacement of the geocentric universe model

Why is the consensus among scientists important for scientific progress?

• It ensures that scientists are always right

• It allows scientists to move on to the next question

• It prevents scientists from questioning their own conclusions

• It provides a secure foundation of knowledge