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Top Advisory Panel Warns Erosion of U.S. Science
fbg111 writes "From the NYT: A panel of experts convened by the National Academies, the nation's leading science advisory group, called yesterday for an urgent and wide-ranging effort to strengthen scientific competitiveness. The 20-member panel, reporting at the request of a bipartisan group in Congress, said that without such an effort the United States 'could soon lose its privileged position.' It cited many examples of emerging scientific and industrial power abroad and listed 20 steps the United States should take to maintain its global lead."
Give me a break. The "religious right" doesn't do anything to stop people from researching. And the issues in which morality/beliefs come into play are tiny microcosms of science as a whole. Sure you hear all about the intelligent design and embryonic stem cell research debates in the news, but tell me, how does that affect the bulk of scientific research? It doesn't, so quit whining. What it comes down to is there just isn't much societal or monetary reward for people to enter research fields. It's the same reason the quality of teaching is declining.
Then you can only do one thing. The US is doomed, so you better move to those better European countries and their brilliant scientists.
I hear the Dutch are very forward thinking, they know nothing bad happens when two men have anal sex, so science should be safe there.
So anyway, sell all your US stocks and real-estate immediately people. You need to escape before its too late!
Swim to Cuba! They have doctors!!!
"Biology and any other field of science dealing with the age of the Earth are destined to decline in the US. The balance of power has already tipped decidedly to non-US schools in technical training in these fields and will continue. This report will be ignored because Congress owes too much to the religious right to do anything that advances knowledge in human evolution or radiometric dating."
What do evolution and radiometric dating have to do with engineering and chemistry?
Evolution != Biology
Radiometric Dating != Biology
Most practical applications of Biology have nothing to do with origin of life aspect of evolution or radiometric dating.
The observation that organisms adapt to their environment is not a disputed. The theory that life came into existence this way is the disputed point. The origin of life has always had more philosophical implications than scientific ones. That is where the trouble comes from.
I don't see how opposing the teaching of the origin of life aspect of evolution in public schools (or asking that intelligent design debate be covered) would motivate anyone to lobby against college scholarships for engineering and the sciences.
When I was in college, we studied a variety of opinions on more philosophical matters, as well as scientific ones. I don't see how teaching both in public schools is a bad idea since that is what you will do in college anyway.
If I had mod points, I would mod your post as flamebait. It sounds like a evolution versus intelligent design debate and doesn't establish a clear argument connecting point A to point B.
Actually, it is Americans that have DRUG problems. Americans cant control their habits. Why is it that Europeans can smoke socially, have a glass of wine and call it a day and people over here think they have huge problems? Furthermore, when fat lazy sports fanaticals over here in the US drive to their buddies house or the local bar, drink like a fish, eat a bunch of carcinogenic crap that should never pass for food and then drives back home impaired, its their 'god-given' right (or FSM-given right). Something doesnt jive here... Dont even start talking about population. You think everyone should have 12 kids? Come on. The North American continent cant even keep up with all the atrocities we have done to it (40 hour work weeks dont help either).
-karl says 'disregard the spelling and grammar mistakes!'