Resumen

RUTHERFORD, James. Ventanas al mundo de la ciencia: preparación y oportunidad. Rev. iberoam. cienc. tecnol. soc. [online]. 2003, vol.1, n.1, pp.197-208. ISSN 1850-0013.

Science, technology and democracy can be dependant one on another and mutually support, with beneficial results for society as a joint, if citizens receive an appropriate science education and they have access as adults to the world of science. The impact of science for improving human life depends, in the long run, of the understanding that the public has of it. Countries that aspire to be both scientific and democratic must give their citizens the opportunities to develop scientific literacy in a humanistic context. With this aim, pedagogic methods and materials for teaching sciences should emphasize the humanistic dimensions of the scientific enterprise; at the same time, there should be mechanisms to make possible that science increase its presence at the mass media and internet. With a similar aim, the links between the world of science and the world of culture could be strengthen by creating or reshaping science centers that involve the activity of artists and historians, and by encouraging art and history museums to involve more scientists.

Palabras clave : Scientific literacy; Humanistic culture; Scientific culture.