We are surrounded by ambivalence toward science. Many people admire what science can do, particularly if technology can save their lives or provide them with leisure and luxury. However, it is common to hear people say that science is reductionistic and dehumanizing. Frankenstein and Brave New World are examples of fear of science. The vast scales of time and space, such as the age of the earth, bewilder people.
Science teachers struggle with students' misconceptions, particularly in the area of mechanics.
From magic to the flat earth, they are usually misconceptions that use common sense. Even Aristotle, who saw the need for classification and logic, never realized the need for experimentation.