I just returned from Chicago after attending the VII International Conference on Science in Society (October 1-2, 2015), an annual event organized by Common Ground (publishers) at the University Center Chicago. The program included theme presentations, workshop sessions, colloquium, poster session and garden conversation. About 70 scholars attended, from 20 countries.

Common Ground is the publisher of the International Journal of Science in Society. We published a paper in it a few months ago (Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility Between Science and Religious Beliefs), which served as the theme for our presentation/workshop.

Each of three parallel workshop sessions was attended by about 20 people. I enjoyed our session (The Values of Science) very much, perhaps precisely due to the size of the meeting, the diversity of scholars participating (i.e. sociologists, chemists, anthropologists, philosophers, physicists, biologists, educators, media specialists), and the interdisciplinary format of the discussions.

At the meeting, we were informed that The Science in Society Community, including the conference and the journal, had joined with their sister community Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. –  GPC

The entire program is available here. Our workshop session included:

The Values of Science

Anti-scientism and Its Impact on the Relationship between Science and Religion: The Role of Science in a Postmodern Society. Dr. Mohamed Almisbkawy, Department of Philosophy, British University in Egypt, Fayoum University, Cairo, Egypt. Overview: The clash between classic science and religion was due to the similarly in their internal structures. Science has overcome this nature of scientific system by shifting from scientism to anti-scientism.

Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs. Dr. Guillermo Paz-y-Miño-C, New England Center for the Public Understanding of Science and New England Science Public, Roger Williams University, Bristol, USA. Dr. Avelina Espinosa, New England Center for the Public Understanding of Science and New England Science Public, Roger Williams University, Bristol, USA. Overview: This paper explores the evolution controversy under three predictions of the incompatibility hypothesis.

Some of the images used in our presentation at the VII International Conference on Science in Society, Chicago, October 1-2, 2015. We discussed in detail the Incompatibility Hypothesis.

Formally Trained Science Communicators: A Solution to the Unreasonable Expectations Placed on Lay People and Professional Scientists. Dr. Teresa Branch-Smith, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Jay Michaud, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Overview: We need to formally train science communicators to facilitate the transmission of knowledge from scientists to people because it requires expertise that neither group should be expected to acquire independently.

Our hostesses and organizers of the VII International Conference on Science in Society at The University Center Chicago, October 1-2, 2015.

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Suggested Reading:

Just Published: Evolution Controversy and the Incompatibility of Science and Religion

Click on image to be redirected to the International Journal of Science in Society

Published in The International Journal of Science in Society — Paz-y-Miño-C & Espinosa (2015). Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs. Int. J. Sci. Soc. 7(2). ISSN 1836-6236. -May 14, 2015.

The complete article, which includes 23-pages, 11 figures and 59 references, can be downloaded —for free— from the International Journal of Science in Society. Click on the image (left) to go to the journal website to download the PDF.

A media-friendly summary can be read HERE.