Now this is a speech I can get into! Clear expression of thought, critical thinking methods in evaluation of the meta-scientific methodology, and a great title.
http://www.crichton-official.com/speech ... ote04.html
The religion surrounding the Drake equation, the TTAPS report by Carl Sagan, science in politics, the notion of consensus science, the psychology of scientific policy, the corporate influence, Bjorn Lomborg,
ad hominem attacks, a "new McCarthyism-coming from scientists," and the principle of scientific heresy! If that's not enough, check out these quotes...
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I would remind you to notice where the claim of consensus is invoked. Consensus is invoked only in situations where the science is not solid enough. Nobody says the consensus of scientists agrees that E=mc^2. Nobody says the consensus is that the sun is 93 million miles away.
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But the truth is that we now have a social policy supported by the grossest of superstitions. And we've given the EPA a bad lesson in how to behave in the future. We've told them that cheating is the way to succeed.
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Nobody believes a weather prediction twelve hours ahead. Now we're asked to believe a prediction that goes out 100 years into the future? And make financial investments based on that prediction? Has everybody lost their minds?
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The fact is that the present structure of science is entrepeneurial, with individual investigative teams vying for funding from organizations which all too often have a clear stake in the outcome of the research-or appear to, which may be just as bad. This is not healthy for science.
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Of course, any scientist can be charged as Galileo was charged. I just never thought I'd see the Scientific American in the role of mother church.
What a fun article!
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