Books by Stefaan Blancke
Dissertation by Stefaan Blancke
Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd, opgeslagen in een ge... more Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd, opgeslagen in een geautomatiseerd gegevensbestand, of openbaar gemaakt, in enige vorm of op enige wijze, hetzij elektronisch, mechanisch, door fotokopieën, opnamen, of enige andere manier, zonder voorafgaande toestemming van de uitgever.
Papers by Stefaan Blancke
The public debates concerning genetic engineering involve many non-scientific issues. The ensuing... more The public debates concerning genetic engineering involve many non-scientific issues. The ensuing complexity is one the reasons why biotechnologists feel discouraged to become involved. By sharing their personal experiences in science communication and suggesting ways to de-problematize genetic engineering, the authors intend to inspire their colleagues to engage with the public nevertheless.
Why do irrational beliefs adopt the trappings of science, to become what is known as " pseudoscie... more Why do irrational beliefs adopt the trappings of science, to become what is known as " pseudoscience " ? Here, we develop and extend an epidemiological framework to map the factors that explain the form and the popularity of irrational beliefs in scientific garb. These factors include the exploitation of epistemic defence mechanisms, the misunderstanding of the authority of science, the use of the honorific title of " science " as an explicit argument for belief, and the phenomenon of epistemic negligence. We conclude by integrating the various factors in our epidemiological framework and thus provide a comprehensive cultural evolutionary account of science mimicry.
Keywords Pseudoscience – expertise – cultural evolution – epidemiology of representations – epistemic vigilance – argumentative theory of reasoning
Trends in Plant Science 20 (7): 414-418, Apr 10, 2015
Public opposition to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remains strong. By contrast, studies d... more Public opposition to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remains strong. By contrast, studies demon- strate again and again that GM crops make a valuable contribution to the development of a sustainable type of agriculture. The discrepancy between public opinion and the scientific evidence requires an explanation. We argue that intuitive expectations about the world render the human mind vulnerable to particular misrepresentations of GMOs. We explain how the involvement of particular intuitions accounts for the popularity, persistence, and typical features of GM opposition and tackle possible objections to our approach. To conclude, we discuss the implications for science education, science communica- tion, and the environmental movement.
What makes beliefs thrive? In this paper, we model the dissemination of bona fide science versus ... more What makes beliefs thrive? In this paper, we model the dissemination of bona fide science versus pseudoscience, making use of Dan Sperber's epidemiological model of representations. Drawing on cognitive research on the roots of irrational beliefs and the institutional arrangement of science, we explain the dissemination of beliefs in terms of their salience to human cognition and their ability to adapt to specific cultural ecologies. By contrasting the cultural development of science and pseudoscience along a number of dimensions (selective pressure, cumulative change, sources of stabilization, and types of attraction), we gain a better understanding of their underlying epistemic differences. Pseudoscience can achieve widespread acceptance by tapping into evolved cognitive mechanisms, thus sacrificing intellectual integrity for intuitive appeal. Science, by contrast, defies those deeply held intuitions precisely because it is institutionally arranged to track objective patterns in the world, and the world does not care much about our intuitions. In light of these differences, we discuss the degree of openness or resilience to conceptual change (evidence and reason), and the divergent ways in which science and pseudoscience can achieve cultural "success".
Science & Education 23 (4): 793-808, Apr 2, 2014
Natural selection is one of the most famous metaphors in the history of science. Charles Darwin u... more Natural selection is one of the most famous metaphors in the history of science. Charles Darwin used the metaphor and the underlying analogy to frame his ideas about evolution and its main driving mechanism into a full-fledged theory. Because the metaphor turned out to be such a powerful epistemic tool, Darwin naturally assumed that he could also employ it as an educational tool to inform his contemporaries about his findings. Moreover, by using the metaphor Darwin was able to bring his theory in accordance with both the dominant philosophy of science in his time and the respected tradition of natural theology. However, as he introduced his theory of evolution by natural selection in On the origin of species in 1859, the metaphor also turned out to have a serious downside. Because of its intentional overtones, his contemporaries systematically misunderstood his metaphor not as a natural mechanism causing evolution to occur but as an agent who works towards particular ends. The difference in success between natural selection as an epistemic tool and its failure as an educational tool is labelled as a paradox. We explain the paradox from a cognitive perspective and discuss the implications for teaching evolution.
Journal of the American Academy of Religion 81 (4): 996-1028, 2013
The purpose of the paper is threefold. First, we present and discuss the extant literature on cre... more The purpose of the paper is threefold. First, we present and discuss the extant literature on creationism in Europe (the “facts”). Within this section, we offer a review of the literature as well as an overview of the most remarkable developments and events recorded therein. Second, we indicate which material is missing from the literature (the “gaps”) and signal which gaps we think should first be filled. And third, on the basis of a forthcoming international historical study, we outline the possible factors that affect the popularity of creationism in Europe (the “prospects”). We also sketch how a sustained study of European creationism can contribute to other research domains such as the study of cultural evolution and the relation between science and religion.
Technology has become all-important in modern society. For each application, it is crucial for so... more Technology has become all-important in modern society. For each application, it is crucial for society to have a good understanding of the risks and benefits involved. However, experts tend to assess the risks very differently than the public. One of the main reasons is that experts tend to rely on an objective analysis of the facts, whereas laypeople’s judgment is also based on other factors, including emotional responses. The question remains however whether that is a good thing. Some argue that emotions lead to biases and should be treated with great suspicion; others claim that the laypeople’s approach to risk is much richer and should also be taken into consideration. In this paper, I explore how we can answer that important question from an evolutionary perspective. First, I briefly outline the role of emotions in judgment and decision making. Next, I discuss two approaches that have defended the rationality of emotions: Roeser’s concept of emotions as trustworthy indicators of moral risks and Kahan’s cultural evaluator theory. Subsequently, I briefly discuss the evolution of emotions and their impact on risk assessment. I conclude from that account that emotions are not trustworthy guide for policy making.
This paper discusses the relationship between religion and science education in the light of the ... more This paper discusses the relationship between religion and science education in the light of the cognitive sciences. We challenge the popular view that science and religion are compatible, a view that suggests that learning and understanding evolutionary theory has no effect on students’ religious beliefs and vice versa. We develop a cognitive perspective on how students manage to reconcile evolutionary theory with their religious beliefs. We underwrite the claim developed by cognitive scientists and anthropologists that religion is natural because it taps into people’s intuitive understanding of the natural world which is constrained by essentialist, teleological and intentional biases. After contrasting the naturalness of religion with the unnaturalness of science, we discuss the difficulties cognitive and developmental scientists have identified in learning and accepting evolutionary theory. We indicate how religious beliefs impede students’ understanding and acceptance of evolutionary theory. We explore a number of options available to students for reconciling an informed understanding of evolutionary theory with their religious beliefs. To conclude, we discuss the implications of our account for science and biology teachers.
Journal of Biological …, Jan 1, 2011
Biology and Philosophy, Jan 1, 2011
According to a widespread philosophical opinion, science is strictly limited to investigating nat... more According to a widespread philosophical opinion, science is strictly limited to investigating natural causes and putting forth natural explanations. Lacking the tools to evaluate supernatural claims, science must remain studiously neutral on questions of metaphysics. This (self-imposed) stricture, which goes under the name of 'methodological naturalism', allows science to be divorced from metaphysical naturalism or atheism, which many people tend to associate with it. However, ruling the supernatural out of science by fiat is not only philosophically untenable, it actually provides grist to the mill of antievolutionism. The philosophical flaws in this conception of methodological naturalism have been gratefully exploited by advocates of intelligent design creationism to bolster their false accusations of naturalistic bias and dogmatism on the part of modern science. We argue that it promotes a misleading view of the scientific endeavor and is at odds with the foremost arguments for evolution by natural selection. Reconciling science and religion on the basis of such methodological strictures is therefore misguided.
Philosophical Psychology 28 (8): 1177-1198
What makes beliefs thrive? In this paper, we model the dissemination of bona fide science versus ... more What makes beliefs thrive? In this paper, we model the dissemination of bona fide science versus pseudoscience, making use of Dan Sperber's epidemiological model of representations. Drawing on cognitive research on the roots of irrational beliefs and the institutional arrangement of science, we explain the dissemination of beliefs in terms of their salience to human cognition and their ability to adapt to specific cultural ecologies. By contrasting the cultural development of science and pseudoscience along a number of dimensions (selective pressure, cumulative change, sources of stabilization, and types of attraction), we gain a better understanding of their underlying epistemic differences. Pseudoscience can achieve widespread acceptance by tapping into evolved cognitive mechanisms, thus sacrificing intellectual integrity for intuitive appeal. Science, by contrast, defies those deeply held intuitions precisely because it is institutionally arranged to track objective patterns in the world, and the world does not care much about our intuitions. In light of these differences, we discuss the degree of openness or resilience to conceptual change (evidence and reason), and the divergent ways in which science and pseudoscience can achieve cultural “success”.
The Quarterly Review of Biology, Jan 1, 2010
The concept of Irreducible Complexity (IC) has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the cre... more The concept of Irreducible Complexity (IC) has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the creationist movement during the past two decades. Evolutionary biologists and philosophers have univocally rejected the purported demonstration of 'intelligent design' in nature, but there have been several, apparently contradictory lines of criticism. We argue that this is in fact due to Michael Behe's own incoherent definition and use of IC. This paper offers an analysis of several equivocations inherent in the concept and discusses the way advocates of the Intelligent Design Creationism (IDC) theory have conveniently turned IC into a moving target. An analysis of these rhetorical strategies helps us to understand why IC gained such prominence in the IDC movement, and why, despite its complete lack of scientific merits, it has even convinced some knowledgeable persons of the impending demise of evolutionary theory.
Creationists are becoming more active in Europe. We expect that European biology teachers will be... more Creationists are becoming more active in Europe. We expect that European biology teachers will be more frequently challenged by students who introduce creationist misconceptions of evolutionary theory into the classroom. Moreover, research suggests that not all teachers are equally well prepared to deal with them. To make biology teachers aware of what they might be confronted with, we discuss three kinds of misconceptions that are common in creationist literature: misconstruing scientific methodology, making a straw man out of evolutionary theory, and demanding unreasonable evidence. We offer some suggestions as to how to deal with them, but we also note the importance of embedding this approach in a more comprehensive educational program in which students learn to think critically and in which their moral concerns and worldview are taken into account. In addition, we invite biology teachers to reflect on their own knowledge and, if necessary, to refresh it by consulting accessible yet scientifically informed literature. Although our main concern lies with teachers in Europe, our approach might be valuable to biology teachers worldwide.
Journal of Religious History 37 (3): 353-368
This article discusses Catholic responses to evolution between 1859, the year of publication of C... more This article discusses Catholic responses to evolution between 1859, the year of publication of Charles Darwin’s On the origin of species, and 2009, the year in which the scientific world celebrated its 150th anniversary. Firstly, I will discuss how the Vatican initially responded to evolution in the period between 1859 and 1907, the year in which Pope Pius X issued the encyclical Pascendi dominici gregis. Secondly, I will explore the responses of Catholic authorities and intellectuals and identify the local factors that influenced their responses. Also, I will demonstrate that, gradually, Catholics have shifted towards a more lenient position concerning evolution. Thirdly, I will demonstrate that, in the end, the Vatican has complied with this pattern. In general, this papers shows that not only Protestants, but Catholics too have struggled to come to terms with evolution and evolutionary theory and that local factors had an impact on these negotiations.
"Recent events indicate that creationists are becoming increasingly active in the Netherlands. Th... more "Recent events indicate that creationists are becoming increasingly active in the Netherlands. This article offers an overview of these events. First, I discuss the introduction of Intelligent Design (ID) creationism into the Dutch public sphere by a renowned physicist, Cees Dekker. Later, Dekker himself shifted towards a more evolution-friendly position, theistic evolution. Second, we will see how Dekker was followed in this shift by Andries Knevel, who is an important figure within the Dutch evangelical broadcasting group, the Evangelische Omroep. His conversion to ID and, consequently, to theistic evolution, brought him into conflict with young-Earth creationists who still strongly identify themselves with the EO. Third, provoked by the ‘dissidence’ of prominent orthodox believers and the celebrations surrounding the Darwin year, young-Earth creationists became very visible. After three decades of relative silence, they started a project to make sure that the Dutch people would hear of the so-called ‘alternatives’ to evolutionary theory.
This article (1) adds to the alarmingly growing number of reports on creationists’ increased activity in Europe; and (2) suggests that ID, in a context different from the United States, did not unite, but rather divided, the Dutch orthodox protestant community."
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Books by Stefaan Blancke
Dissertation by Stefaan Blancke
Papers by Stefaan Blancke
Keywords Pseudoscience – expertise – cultural evolution – epidemiology of representations – epistemic vigilance – argumentative theory of reasoning
This article (1) adds to the alarmingly growing number of reports on creationists’ increased activity in Europe; and (2) suggests that ID, in a context different from the United States, did not unite, but rather divided, the Dutch orthodox protestant community."
Keywords Pseudoscience – expertise – cultural evolution – epidemiology of representations – epistemic vigilance – argumentative theory of reasoning
This article (1) adds to the alarmingly growing number of reports on creationists’ increased activity in Europe; and (2) suggests that ID, in a context different from the United States, did not unite, but rather divided, the Dutch orthodox protestant community."