Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

Question:
Hello!  My colleagues and I are doing a workshop in San Francisco
Jan. 20th on the defintion of literacy and how technology enters
the 20th century defintion of literacy and an integrated science
unit on the environment.  Could you please share with us your 
definition of literacy?
 gina m chavez

Answer:
A sufficient knowledge of English and of Latin / Greek roots
to understand scientific terms; a sufficient knowledge of
mathematics to interpret an equation; sufficient knowledge
of biology to understand the basics of reproduction and nutrition;
sufficient knowledge of physics to be aware of the existence of
atoms and molecules and radiation; sufficient knowledge of
chemistry to understand what acids and bases are (without
which life itself would be impossible).
 
This seems to me to be a minimal starting place.
-dr topper