Abstract

This article critically challenges the view that there is a need for what is, essentially, a relatively broad-based,
shallow, level of public scientific literacy. Instead, it argues that, within a ‘black box’ technological society such as the one we live in, passengers on the ‘Clapham omnibus’ can be effective users of technology without their needing to be, or in many cases desiring to be, scientifically literate. Therefore, rather than trying to inculcate a level of scientific literacy amongst the general population that fails to provide the conceptual depth, and/or intellectual rigour, necessary for making rational, scientifically informed, decisions a more focused, functional, scientific literacy should be taught. Such an approach would focus primarily on those areas of science that relate directly to human biology and health along with some basic chemistry and physics.