Critical Thinking Blog #2

Does 'Popular Science' Today Awe Us, Inspire Us, or Threaten Us?

For today's critical thinking blog, I've chosen the famous and popular television show, 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'. 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' is a television show about scientists who use forensic science to solve crimes and "catch the bad guys". Forensic science is part of range of sciences usually used in the legal system related to a crime. Forensic science covers the scientific methodology and rules under which the evidence about an event, or an artifact, or some other physical item (such as corpues) are determined as being the case (wikipedia.com). I'm not a scientist or anything but most, if not ll of the forensic science that is used on the show seems to be pretty accurate. Methods used to find the 'time of death', 'the cause of death', using every fabric, piece of paper, and much more appear to be very precise. I don't think the show is "dumbed down" in any perspective, not on the scientific uses of things anyway. I think that many people who watch this show would most likely agree with me. I think that's one of the main reasons why this show is so popular. because it uses real life science and things that you can really use in the 'real world' and if you are a scientist, you can really understand mostly everything that the actors are talking about in the show.

Forensic science represented on the television show gives me a sence of awe. It inspires me because it shows how much science has advanced. This program shows how science and technology come together. Yes, of course you need the people (scientists and police officers) to look and find physical evidence to solve this crimes but without technology such as computers, updated scientific laboratory equipment for DNA testing, finger printing and so forth, solving these crimes in a fast paced time would not be possible and forensic science would have a huge disadvantage.

I believe shows like 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' and other programs like this in which presents and portrays science might have success with audiences because it uses real science with entertainment; it has a story to it. The anticipation of wanting to find out why the criminal committed such crimes and wanting to see if and how the "heroes" of the show will really solve these crimes. The audience wants to see them "catch the bad guys" and the relief that they feel in the end when everything is solved and over and waiting to see what's on next week is why I think shows like this have success. The failure part of it would be that the show might turn into more entertainment than facts and may be "dumbed down" enough that if real scientist and people that understand the material see that it isn't accurate, it might give those audiences a sense of failure of the show.