On Academic Bigotry

Someone recently posted a meme in a Neil De Grasse Facebook group, comparing education and social sciences with fields like astrophysics and applied mathematics. The meme reflects a common but flawed understanding of intellectual worth. It reminds me of the old thinking and prejudices about the “hard sciences” and the “soft sciences.” Here’s why this type of thinking deserves to be challenged:

1. Complexity in the Social and Biological Sciences

While fields like astrophysics and applied mathematics often benefit from linear, reductive approaches to problem-solving, the same cannot be said for the social and biological sciences. These disciplines deal with complex systems — where variables interact in unpredictable ways, and human behaviors or biological processes cannot be reduced to simple formulas. Reductive thinking often falls short in these areas, making them, in many ways, more difficult to study. The social and biological sciences require a deeper engagement with non-linear dynamics, emergent properties, and intricate feedback loops.

2. The Complexity of Education

As an educator myself, I have seen firsthand how people slight the field of education. What many fail to realize is that teaching demands an understanding of the human mind, one of the most complex systems we know. An educator isn’t just a subject expert; they also…