Slashdot Mirror
Is The U.S. Becoming Anti-Science?
smooth wombat writes "As a follow-up to a recently posted Slashdot article, Reuters UK has an article which poses the question: is the U.S. becoming hostile to science? From the article: 'Among the most significant forces is the rising tide of anti-science sentiment that seems to have its nucleus in Washington but which extends throughout the nation,' said Stanford's Philip Pizzo in a letter posted on the school Web site on October 3. Cornell acting President Hunter Rawlings, in his state of the university address last week, spoke about the challenge to science represented by intelligent design which holds that the theory of evolution accepted by the vast majority of scientists is fatally flawed. Rawlings said the dispute was widening political, social, religious and philosophical rifts in U.S. society. 'When ideological division replaces informed exchange, dogma is the result and education suffers,' he said." What is your take?
When the Taliban declared that there is only ONE GOD and it is their god that is valid, and that everyone must kow tow to their god, the rest of the world pooh-poohed.
While the rest of the world isn't looking, the taliban gained a lot of supporters. From Indonesia to Algeria, from the United States to France, cell groups of the Taliban mushroomed and multiplied.
The fundies, aka Republicrooks, noticed that trend, and saw that they have a fierce competitor. In order to win this race, the fundies decided to outdo the Talibans - to become MORE TALIBAN THAN THE TALIBAN .
If you can't fight them, join them
Declaring that the theory of Evolution as invalid is just the first step. There are more to come.
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
What I see happening in the United States has no parallel in all of human history. The thing that comes closest to it is the European Dark Ages, but even at that time, Europe still hung on to some modicum of civilization. The United States is heading straight for barbarianism. Unlike the Roman Empire, we won't need to be sacked by invading gypsies; the United States will devolve into it's own angry mob. Even cannibalism is not too much to expect in another generation. Anarchy? That is without question. The US never DID actually lead the world in science, anyway. We borrowed a bunch of talent from Europe while we fought Hitler, one of our few shining moments. Science? Thank you, citizens of other countries, for keeping that torch lit.
The Uhg-mer-cains who will be flaming this post are a perfect example. People of other nations, when was the last time you had an intelligent debate with an American citizen? Like a pack animal, it's brain is hard-wired to snap at any desecration of what it believes to be it's territory, though it's peed there so much that it's spoiled the ground for anyone else, anyway. It calls this "patriotism". It has a psychopathic hatred, manifesting itself in continued savage acts of violence against all living creatures, which it justifies with the delusion that there is an invisible being in the sky who hates everyone as much as it does. It calls this "religion". It's sole other emotion - if it can be said, at all, to emote - is greed, which causes it to continue to be barely industrious enough to operate a cash register, push a button, or sponge off a relative - whichever is easiest - in order to obey the directive blasted out of every media source at it: "Consume! Consume! Consume!" The majority of them will not be able to make out this level of writing. My foreign friends, what does it say when you yourself, even if you come from a non-English-based nation, have a better command of English than Americans do? Before you point at me and say, "Well, you're an example that disproves the rule, aren't you?" - I'm a first generation immigrant. And my family and I are saving up and coordinating plans to immigrate right back out again. The US gave us the best fifty years of it's life, but it's over.
Go through the many articles on the Answers in Genesis website, for a start.
All I see on the site is gobbledygook that relies on the Bible.
Biblical creationists assume that God exists and that the bible contains his word to us. This word is reliable because it is given by God
That's one of the things people like me have a problem with. The original assumption is completely irrational.
There is no proof that the Bible was given by God. I could write a book about Santa Claus proclaiming him to be real and say the same thing: "The Santa Bible is reliable, because it is given by Santa. It says so in the book, afterall." On the front page I could have "This paper is blue" written in red ink on a white paper, but that doesn't mean it's blue, no matter how many people say it is. And on top of that, I could write in the Santa Bible that Elvis witnessed all the events (using primarily historical events to tell the story). The existence of Elvis does not validate the text, nor does the coinciding of real events with fictional events.
in particular it is certified to us by Jesus whose own reliability is attested by his having been raised from the dead
This is basing an assertion on something unproven. It's like saying x is true because y is true and x=y, but y hasn't been proven. And so all such claims that follow from these assertions that are yet unproven, basing all facts on non-fact.
From my point of view, the conflicting worldview seems to be logic vs rejection of logic. For some real insight on how "materialists" view creationists, think about your feelings on astrology. It has many of the same building blocks as religion: a large user base, some pseudo-historical basis, mystical answers to questions not suitably relatable to said users, social indoctrination, etc. Yet, to any intelligent individual, it is utterly ridiculous because its basis is illogical.
I've got one for you...
Logically prove that I exist. Can't be done, can it?
Better yet, logically prove that Linus Torvalds exists. Since you can't, you must (according to you) assume he doesn't. Therefore Linux must have evolved naturally out of a C compiler.
"God exists" is a basic statement that cannot be proven any more than you can prove to me that you see a chair.
Remember, open source is free as in speech, not free as in bear.