Abstract: 

From the logical dimension, the essence of science communication is to change the way of

thinking. Behind every kind of science communication, there hides the mode of thinking of its activities.

Traditional popular science pays attention to scientific knowledge, behind which lies deductive thinking. The

public understanding of science focuses on the audience’s attitude, behind which is rhetorical thinking. Reflective

science communication focuses on the communication mechanism, especially the relationship between science

and society, behind which is critical thinking. The new era of science communication in the horizon of big science

requires the audience to be an equal rational interlocutor, and evolution from a one-party-centered deficiency

model to an argumentation-centered dialogue model, so as to realize the “reflective balance” between scientism

and humanism. Therefore, science communication must go beyond absolute rationalism and relative rhetoric, and

maintain a critical rationalist spirit, so as to construct a well-formed community for science communication.

Key Words: 

Science communication; Logical dimension; Critical thinking; Argumentation; Critical

rationalist spirit