The fact a large part of society has been convinced to abandon science with devastating effects is going to be what the early 21st century is known for.
@garyackerman With respect, science is actually a terrible way to go about everyday life. The process, of course, is flawless. But its emphasis on replicating results can be quite destructive if, say, someone wanted to disprove that drinking household chemicals can kill you.
Thus we have social guidance formed by scientific experience. Which, because it stresses NOT replicating results, is (to the layman) no different from religious edicts handed down from on high.
@garyackerman I am also struggling to find at what point in human history was society actually guided by scientific principles?
Sadly, the best "examples" would be the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The work of scientists was corrupted, no doubt. But the authority that both regimes leaned on was the idea that the leaders were simply following/restoring the natural course of events. What's more, the judgement of those in charge could not be questioned anymore than the laws of gravity.
As far as the environment, it would be awfully nice if human civilization could all agree that having a planet to live on in the future would be a Good Thing(tm).
Currently science has a credibility problem. Too many attention whores have been allowed to run roughshod over the publication process. There's an entire caste of individuals known as "scientific explainers". Not scientists themselves, but people who intercede on the part of the common clay to interpret real science.
@garyackerman These explainers have more "credibility" than actual scientists because the public interacts with them more often.
I would dare say if there was a hill to die on, it wouldn't be that society should be governed by science. It is that those who govern should be bound by sound accounting practices.
And once they are able to stop shifting costs at the behest of the wealthy, suddenly the effect of polluters on climate becomes obvious. Even to the public.
@garyackerman We are rapidly diverging into a species that creates rotating nature habitats in space... and a species that flings poo at the visitors to their habitat.