Why We Need To Understand Science Essay

“Why We Need To Understand Science” is an essay written by Carl Sagan that argues the importance and relevance of science to the upcoming generations in the United States. In Sagan’s thesis he states, “The submediocre performance of American youngsters in science and math, and the widespread adult ignorance and apathy about science and math, should sound an urgent alarm”. The primary form of appeal was logos, and the secondary form of appeal was ethos.

The purpose of Sagan’s argument was to illustrate a lack of understanding of science and technology in modern society. As scientific breakthroughs and discoveries are made, they are often left only being understood my scientists. The general public has very little insight into parts of science that have an impact on everyday life. Sagan claims this ignorance will prove detrimental to society in later generations.

Sagan is targeting the general public in his argument with an emphasis on college students and future educators.

The author gives great explanation as to why the United States as a whole is falling behind the rest of the world in education. Sagan states, “And so science (and other) teaching is too often incompetently or uninspiringly done, practitioners...having little or no training in their subjects” awakens the audience to the vital overhaul needed in education. Sagan also raises a valid point, “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology”. Readers can easily relate to this statement, because working technology has become an essential part of everyday life. Innovation in technology is growing so rapidly that it is nearly impossible to become acquainted with it without further

education.
The argument that Sagan presents is fortified through the use of logos. The author paints a shockingly realistic picture of how far behind the United States is, technologically, in comparison to other countries. He states, “The best of 20 fifth-grade classrooms in Minneapolis was outpaced by everyone one of the 20 classrooms in Sendal, Japan”. Sagan also highlights a unique piece of information that may be crucial in understanding why the United States may be lagging behind other countries. Perhaps, the children are unhappy about what their curriculum is focusing on. Sagan stated, “Of the U.S. kids, 22 percent say they dislike school; only 8 percent of the Koreans do”. There is little incentive for American children to educate themselves beyond the required standard. Sagan raises a valid point in claiming, “Part of the reason they don’t study hard is that they’ve received few tangible benefits when they do”.
The secondary appeal of ethos has a significantly smaller role in Sagan’s argument. Aside from his disclosure of the truth about pseudoscience to “William Buckley”, readers were not exposed to Sagan’s expertise formally. However, there was an undertone of wisdom when he stated, “We need more money for teachers’ training and salaries, and for laboratories-so kids will get hands-on experience rather than just reading what’s in the book”.
Sagan provided sound solutions for his argument. From reducing the amount of pseudoscience on television, to encouraging children to ask questions about things they may not understand, readers conclude that these proposals would be critical to advancing education in the United States. Sagan earns the trust of readers by providing relevant pieces of information that are relatable. The argument was well organized by presenting a claim, showing why the claim was relevant, and then illustrating a vast amount of solutions. Carl Sagan did an excellent job in arguing why attention needs to be brought to the misunderstanding of science and technology.