Re: [APD] Science

[Jerry Baker <jerry at bakerweb_biz>]

Tom Wood wrote:
> "Science, hah alot of Science <AHEM not all... i dont think...>  is nothing 
> more than a synonym for theory. and theroy is a guess just waiting to be 
> disproved by some other theory and on and on."
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory : "In scientific usage, theory is not 
> the opposite of fact. Theories are typically ways of explaining why things 
> happen, usually after the fact that they happen is no longer in scientific 
> dispute."
> 
> I don't understand why the US is becoming so hostile toward science.

Now there's a can of worms. My personal feeling is that it is because 
scientific knowledge and and methodologies are in direct conflict with 
the views of those currently politically popular and in power here. It 
is really troublesome for a political agenda when hard science is 
contradicting your views. So, what to do?

First, you have to win the hearts and minds of the people with a 
propaganda war. Start getting them used to terms like "elitist" (as in 
"scientific elitism"), and "scientific agenda." Make sure to choose 
words that have strong negative associations with them and use them 
frequently. "Agenda" is a very popular one, with various forms of 
"elite" not far behind. You have to frame the scientific community as 
just another group with a self-interested agenda. Misrepresent science 
as a belief system rather than a methodology. Do this repeatedly for 
about a decade.

Then, make sure you cut funding to various research and scientific 
enterprises like the NSF, NOAA, NASA, etc. Appoint ideologues to head 
departments in the government that were formerly headed by scientific 
people. Pass legislation prohibiting research that conflicts with your 
politics. Finally, to cripple the entire scientific community, cut off 
the source of scientists. Attack science education in school. Start 
framing scientific theories as "beliefs" and demand that other beliefs 
be taught as equal, thus reducing the meaning and import of real 
theories you don't like.

And, finally, when people interested in real information point out that 
your information is simply false, you reveal the identity of their loved 
ones working undercover in the CIA as an example of what to expect if 
you release information that conflicts with the proper viewpoint.

-- 
Jerry Baker
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