Understanding the nature of science involves not only its content and methods, but also its constitutive values. I concur with C.P. Snow’s view that solving wicked social problems requires the expertise of both scientists and humanists, and that we must work together to bridge the gap between these two cultures. In 2009, I organized a conference—Science & Liberal Education: C.P. Snow and the Two Cultures @ 50—together with Jon D. Miller about these issues and civic scientific literacy.
In addition to my philosophical work in this area, I collaborate with Miller on empirical investigations, surveying both scientists and the general public. See below for some recent papers we and other collaborators have published.
- “Studying Scientific Virtues: Bridging Philosophy and Social Science.” In Stapleford, Thomas A. (ed.) Science, Technology and Virtues: Contemporary Perspectives. Oxford University Press (2021, pp. 58-74)
- “Citizen attitudes toward science and technology, 1957-2020: measurement, stability, and the Trump challenge” Science and Public Policy. (2024, scad086), DOI: 10.1093/scipol/scad086.
- “The acceptance of evolution: A developmental view of Generation X in the United States.” Public Understanding of Science. (2024. 33(7):818-837), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625241234815
- “The development of attitudes toward science and technology: a longitudinal analysis of Generation X.” Science and Public Policy. (2025, 52(1):16-31), DOI: 10.1093/scipol/scae051
- “A Longitudinal Analysis of the Public Acceptance of Evolution.” In Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy. SAGE Publications, Ltd. (2025)
- “A Time-Series Analysis of the Public Acceptance of Evolution.” In Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy. SAGE Publications, Ltd. (2025)
- “The development of just-in-time information acquisition behaviors in Generation X.” The Information Society (2026, 42:1, 54-72). DOI: 10.1080/01972243.2025.2590506.
