Opinion polls show most residents of the US do not believe they understand science very well, but they do favor more government support of science. Why do most US residents favor government support of science?

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Opinion polls show most residents of the US do not believe they understand science very well, but they do favor more government support of science.  Why do most US residents favor government support of science?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks why a majority of US residents favor government support of science, despite not feeling they understand science well. 
Option 1: 'Scientists apply their scientific method, which allows them to learn the Truth.' While the scientific method is central to science, this option frames science as a pursuit of absolute Truth and implies government funding is justified solely by that claim. In practice, people support funding for practical benefits and public goods, not only for a notion of ultimate Truth. This makes the statement partly oversimplified and not directly tied to public attitudes about funding. 
Option 2: 'Science is simply so fascinating that almost everyone can’t wait to see what will be discovered next.' While curiosity plays a role, this answer overstates intrinsic fascination and does not connect to policy choices or funding justifications that the public emphasizes, such as health and safety gains. It also ignores the policy and societal value judgments behind funding decisions. 
Option 3: 'Science is so boring that almost everyone uses public-broadcasting science programming as a sleep aid, and government funding is needed to insure a steady supply of boredom.' This is clearly a satirical or false portrayal of public interest in science and misrepresents both public engagement and the rationale for funding. It mischaracterizes attitudes and provides no legitimate rationale for support. 
Option 4: 'Science has helped make our lives healthier, wealthier, easier, safer, etc., and people hope that more funding of more science will provide even more health, wealth, ease, safety, etc.' This option links government support to the perceived practical benefits of science—improved health, economic well-being, safety, and quality of life—and expresses the expectation that more funding could yield greater benefits. This aligns with commonly observed public reasoning: funding is support for continued societal gains and public goods. 
In summary, the other options attribute motivations that are either philosophically narrow, false, or disconnected from public policy reasoning, whereas the fourth option mirrors the typical justification for public funding of science: experiential benefits and hopeful expansion of those benefits through additional science investments.

GEOSC 10 (SP 25 Merged) Geology of National Parks Practice Quiz #1

Opinion polls show most residents of the US do not believe they understand science very well, but they do favor more government support of science. Why do most US residents favor government support of science?

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