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  3. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American publi

The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American publi

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问题     The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American public is more skeptical. About a quarter of Americans still have doubts about global warming, and even more believe that the threat is being over-hyped. It would seem, then, that more needs to be done to help these skeptics understand the science that has the professionals so concerned.
    Or not. An interesting new study in Nature shows that the science comprehension thesis(SCT)— which posits that divisions over climate change are a result of the public’s incomprehension of the science—is wrong. If it were right, increasing scientific literacy would correspond to greater agreement with the actual scientists, who generally believe global warming is a serious threat. But that’s not the case. So if it’s not a lack of scientific literacy causing disagreement with the experts, then what is it?
    The authors of the study looked at an alternative explanation referred to as the cultural cognition thesis. This thesis posits that individuals try to fit their interpretations of scientific evidence into preformed cultural philosophies. More specifically, those with a hierarchical, individualistic worldview were expected to be skeptical of climate-change risks, the acceptance of which might lead to unwanted restrictions on industry. Those with an egalitarian, communitarian worldview were expected to agree with the experts, as they are generally less troubled by commerce-cramping regulations. The data bore this out. And, perhaps most fascinating of all, increased scientific literacy only increased the cultural divide.
    The operative concept here is "motivated reasoning". The idea is, we begin by absorbing the values of our tribes—what is and isn’t important, what is and isn’t a risk—and use whatever numeracy and scientific literacy we possess to seek out facts and arguments that support those views. Getting smarter, in other words, only makes us better at justifying our own worldviews. It does not necessarily give us more scientifically accurate worldviews.
    Perhaps, then, I am simply justifying my own worldview when I suggest that global warming is real and problematic. And perhaps the scientists who study global warming are doing the same. If you believe this, I am going to have trouble convincing you otherwise. If the study is correct, the increasing amount of data showing a warmer climate is a feeble weapon in this fight. Rather, the authors suggest that "communicators should endeavor to create a deliberative climate in which accepting the best available science does not threaten any group’s values. "
According to the cultural cognition thesis, steadfast skeptics are most probably with______.
选项 A、high scientific literacy
B、high social status
C、rich cultural deposits
D、an altruistic mind
答案A
解析 第三段最后两句指出。研究数据证实了“文化认知观点”——人们因自身文化观念不同会对科学证据做不同诠释，而且很有意思的是，科学素养的提高只加大了文化的差异性。言外之意为，怀疑论者为何与专业人士观点不同并不是因为他们科学素养不高，而是因为他们科学素养可能太高了。[A]选项符合文意。
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