There are no formal prerequisites to maintaining peace and avoiding war, and I don't think a formal education or a "scientific mindset" is of much help here. Further, the opposite of a scientific mindset is not ignorance, for the opposite of ignorance is awareness, and awareness is not synonymous with the ambiguous 'scientific mindset'.

I believe one could argue rather successfully that we need more poets, painters, cinematographers, musicians and artist of all shades and stripes over scientist if peace is the ultimate goal.