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The Decline of Science and Technology in America

Posted by Zonk on from the not-so-good dept.

puke76 writes "There's a good article over on the BBC about the decline of science and technology in the U.S.. Vint Cerf and others are going on record to voice their concerns about the current administrations recipe for 'irrelevance and decline.' Scientists are increasingly concerned about the White House's pandering to the religious right at science's expense. From the article: 'radically we have moved away from regulation based on professional analysis of scientific data ...to regulation controlled by the White House and driven by political considerations.'"

3 of 1,347 comments (clear)

  1. Re:America has a choice.. by zardo · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    Look what happens to countries when they lose their Christianity, and the "natural law" that comes with it. They turn communist, in many instances.

    Nevermind Islam. Christianity never did you any harm.

  2. Re:America has a choice.. by |/|/||| · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    A return to basic ethics and morals that are grounded in myth? Gee, I wonder why nobody gives much credence to 'em anymore. What we need is an educated population with morals and ethics that are grounded in the benefit of the greater good.

    A "Christian Republic" would ultimately fail or prove useless because it would have no basis in reality. You can't build a very tall wall on quicksand, and you can't build a very informed society on religion.

    --
    [javac] 100 errors
  3. If Your Bullshit Detector Didn't Go Off by thelizman · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    It is largely a reflection of rising educational standards around the world, so it's a comparative decline. In real terms, no single country can even come close to matching the US in the total scientific investment by government, corporations and foundations.


    So what this guy is saying is that America's lead in science isn't because America is slipping, but because the rest of the world is catching up. Am I supposed to be alarmed by this?

    As for the Bush bashing, it's weak and tenuous at best. More of the same "Bush is anti-science" bullshit coming from the Iron Rice Bowl crowd. I'm sorry they can't get their federal funding handouts to investigate the nasal passages of gerbils during ejaculation, but I think - and most reasonable people agree - that funding the war against terrorism takes precedent to the ability of masturbating rodents to breathe.