Saturday, April 12, 2008

Scientific Illiteracy in Action

So I went back to the Towson Public Library Booksale (like I said, I'm a adict), and a woman there pointed out to her daughter that I had an Eyewitness book. (Eyewitness is a fantastic series of books for kids about animals, the earth, and all kinds of science and anthropology topics. They're pretty through for a kids book and have great pictures.) I said that the book I had was about weather, and I offered it to the woman and her daughter. The woman politly declined, saying that they have some Eyewitness books. Then she said that the book on weather was one she didn't want to have because her son is very afraid of tornados. Excuse me?
Now wouldn't you think that if you had a kid who was deathly afraid of tornados, you would want him to read book on weather, and learn about tornados? About how yes, they do happen, and they can be very distructive, but they typically don't happen in Maryland, but if one does come this way, this is what you do to stay safe? Isn't that better than simply avoiding the subject?
Isn't that why we learn about things and study things (scientifically speaking)? So we don't have to be afraid all the time?
At any rate, the Eyewitness book only has two pages on tornados.

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