system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Scientific illiteracy is a serious threat to peace and human flourishing.

"We have arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner of later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces." \~ Carl Sagan.

The above quote eloquently describes my current view. To add some clarity, here is the line of reasoning by which I have come to this conclusion.

\-Scientific discoveries allow the development of new technologies. These technologies can then be used for economic growth by creating new industries or making existing industries more cost-effective. They can also enable social change by modifying the conditions under which the society exists.

\-Therefore, a society which does not invest into scientific endeavors will not undergo social, technological, and economic development as quickly as one that does.

\-Scientific illiteracy diminishes interests in scientific endeavors. This can be directly by discouraging individuals to contribute to science, or indirectly by voting for politicians who do not invest into scientific endeavors.

\-Therefore, scientific illiteracy diminishes a societies ability to undergo social, technological, and economic development.

\-Social, technological, and economic development raise the poor out of poverty by producing abundance to feed the masses, promotes peace by eliminating the economic incentives for deadly conflict, and provides medicines, amenities, and security which promotes human flourishing.

\-Therefore, scientific illiteracy diminishes a societies' ability to raise the poor out of poverty, promote peace, and human flourishing.

This year in the US, we have witnessed widespread superstitious beliefs and political partisanship which override many people's attempts to make reasonable assessments which are good for both themselves and others. This has come with widespread social unrest prompted by social inequity, combined with widening income inequality. New-age cures, evangelical beliefs, and open rejection of scientific consensus are ubiquitous in our culture.

What I would suggest is that all of these things are related and they all come back to scientific illiteracy. Social inequity and income inequality are due to access to and acceptance of education. Adherence to dogmatic beliefs and superstitions makes it difficult for someone to make accurate choices in the face of misinformation. We have a culture of ignoring and/or denying the qualified opinions of experts, this view is due to ignorance of the topics being discussed.

CMV: Scientific illiteracy is dangerous for a society in that it is a threat to peace and human flourishing.

Edit: Thank you kind patrons for your internet candy!

To briefly explain where my views have changed: Ideological claims are more dangerous because they can necessarily include the rejection of known science. To put that another way, you can be scientifically literate and still reach objectively wrong conclusions for ideological reasons, if reality happens to contradict your views.
gpt
I would say irrationality and blind ideology is the real threat, even science literate people can be irrational and still cause trouble, flat earthers are science literate but they still dismiss facts that run contrary to their beliefs.

Scientific literacy doesn’t necessarily turn people into rational actors.