Innumeracy

Innumeracy, an inability to deal comfortably with the fundamental notions of number and chance, plagues far too many otherwise knowledgeable citizens. [...] Part of the reason for this perverse pride in mathematical ignorance is that its consequences are not usually as obvious as are those of other weaknesses.

[...] One rarely discussed consequence of innumeracy is its link with belief in pseudoscience, and the interrelationship between the two is here explored. In a society where genetic engineering, laser technology, and microchip circuits are daily adding to our understanding of the world, it's especially sad that a significant portion of our adult population still believes in Tarot cards, channeling mediums, and crystal power.

Even more ominous is the gap between scientists' assessments of various risks and the popular perceptions of those risks, a gap that threatens eventually to lead either to unfounded and crippling anxieties or to impossible and economically paralyzing demands for risk-free guarantees. Politicians are seldom a help in this regard since they deal with public opinion and are therefore loath to clarify the likely hazards and trade-offs associated with almost any policy.

John Allen Paulos, Innumeracy, pp. 8-9 (Vintage Books, 1988)

Cartea o gasiti aici.