A influência da pseudociência na compreensão científica em plataformas sociais: uma análise comparativa entre design inteligente e teoria da evolução

Abstract

The denial of concepts that are scientifically proven and supported has become increasingly common in recent years, as can be seen in the denial of the Theory of Evolution and the creation of pseudosciences that attempt to refute it. Although the Theory of Evolution is one of the pillars of Biological Sciences, its veracity is still questioned or, when acknowledged, is often misunderstood by the general population. ccording to a previous survey conducted in the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and in the Paraná Curricular Reference, content on evolution is recommended for elementary and high school students. However, social media contributes to the dissemination of pseudoscientific information, such as intelligent design. This study analyzed how this pseudoscience is emphasized, specifically on YouTube, and then proposed actions on social media that counter this idea. As a result, videos that present denial of evolutionary theory, propagating intelligent design, were mapped. In the videos analyzed, it was possible to see that the topic of evolution faces barriers, mainly due to the dissemination of pseudosciences that spread false information. The lack of scientific literacy favors this propagation, combined with the widespread dissemination of these ideas on social media. These strategies use persuasive characteristics, such as appeals to authority, oversimplification of arguments and encouragement of doubt in an attempt to invalidate the Theory of Evolution. In view of this reality, a sequence of three interactive videos was developed with the aim of combating the lack of scientifically based content. These videos were made available on YouTube with the intention of promoting informed actions, contributing to the understanding of the topic of evolution and encouraging reflection on the influence of pseudoscience.