Science in Peril
It was on this day in 1848 that the American Association for the Advancement of Science, known as AAAS, was created.
Until recently, math and science were exalted as the disciplines that separated truth from falsity, fact from opinion or propaganda. To say that a certain theory was held by the scientists in the field was to say that it was folly to believe anything else, that anyone who wished to be taken seriously on a certain subject subscribed to that theory since it was derived from the most rigorous thinking and experimentation on the topic, and had stood up to any and all assault from peers who sought to disprove it.
That this is even noteworthy is perhaps the most sickening aspect of today’s civilization. We live in a world in which science is constantly being degraded. The U.S. federal government is systematically firing the scientists whose work formerly created the basis on which policies were based. It is aggressively thwarting our society’s capacity to protect itself from disease, toxicity, economic collapse, nuclear proliferation, superstition, climate ruin, ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, and dozens of other forms of environmental degradation.
Is this a short-term trend that will reverse itself? Probably, but in what time frame? At what cost?
When the ancient Greeks had developed mathematics and science (not to mention democracy and philosophy) to such a remarkable degree, one might have thought that the Dark Ages couldn’t possibly come to pass. Yet there we were, 800 years later, praying to golden idols, most of the world’s population starving, disease running rampant, witnessing the institutionalized torture of innocent people.
History has told us that this can happen. Perhaps we should be on our guard.
Craig,
What on earth is the matter with you today?
“Most of the world’s population” is certainly NOT “starving, disease running rampant, or witnessing the institutionalized torture of innocent people”!.
Only yesterday, you endorsed a sensible, rational analysis by a guest blogger, and here you are today ranting alarmist nonsense.
“Science” is certainly not under threat form any “Dark Age”, except in your imagination!
The politicization of “science” and the cults adopting the term “science’ as a mask to peddle various ideologies may be the subject of public debate and dispute, but that should occur in any free society.
When “scientific” or academic media platforms such as, “The Conversation” change editorial policy to suppress dissenting opinion or information which challenges ideological beliefs held by the editorial staff, it is they, not the dissenters that abandon scientific principles.
When advocates like yourself consider yourself to lordly to deign to engage in debate or answer critics, you abandon science.
Scientific proposals should be subject to the discipline of rigorous thinking and experimentation. Any proposal or theory should be the subject of rational dissent, disagreement and dispute from peers and all interested parties.
Yet, sadly, it’s you and your fellow travelers, who desperately fight to suppress dissent and are outraged that your opinions and ideological convictions are challenged by others.
The current administration represents the opinions of millions of Americans who do not subscribe to your political/ideological convictions.
It’s their taxes that are being spent. It’s their lives and the prosperity of their families that is a stake. Don’t you think their views should be considered?
The administration is not perfect, not is it all knowing and all ways beneficent and wise. But that’s true of all administrations, and certainly true of the affairs of humankind.
It’s not the proper role of public servants to decide public policy. The role of the public service is to implement policy without bias, and to advise the elected executive to the best of their ability.
Policy, must be the sole prerogative elected executive, or legislature.
If scientists working in a government department finds themselves unable to implement public policy, or feels advice is unappreciated, the correct procedure is to resign.
This applies to any public servant or member of the armed forces.
According to the CNN and the NYT, certain top FBI officials opened an investigation into Trump after he fired of FBI Director James Comey because Trump “needed to be reined in,”.
If the report is correct, it continued in praise of these public servants. CNN paraised the efforts of FBI officials who felt alarmed that policies of the previous administration were being overturned.
The FBI also justified its illegal activities on the basis that:
“Mr. Trump had refused to criticize Russia on the campaign trail, praising President Vladimir V. Putin. Investigators had watched with alarm as the Republican Party softened its convention platform on the Ukraine crisis in a way that seemed to be more conciliatory to Russia”.
The FBI argues the President needed to be investigated, and counter-measures taken because he may be a threat to national security.
Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives the authority to determine foreign policy to the President.
The Constitution makes no mention of the FBI Director,acting director, Harvard law professor, etc.! o
What the Constitution does mention is the position of any public servant or member of the armed forces who knowingly lies to or attempts to circumvent, frustrate, undermine or usurp the President in the lawful exercise of his office.
It’s clear from the revelations by the most virulent Anti-Trump media outlets that senior members of the FBI and CIA, attempting to overtake the authority to determine U.S. foreign policy from the lawfully determined President.
Such actions are clear violations of the U.S. Constitution.
Had the FBI behave in such a manner to President Clinton or President Obama, I believe every American should be very alarmed and even the most die-hard GOP legislator should join in the demand for the resignation and possible prosecution of such individuals.
It doesn’t really matter whether you like or loathe President Trump, if you remain silent when members of government agencies attack the Constitution itself, you have failed your country.
The danger to “democracy” and society, does not come from an inept or even bad President, The Office is restricted by the Constitution, Congress, the US Courts and the President forced to stand for election every four years, with a limit of two terms.
The real danger to US society are members of unelected, unaccountable, secretive government agencies believing they, not the elected executive, should decide public policy.
When you remain silent for partisan political advantage, you, like them, have become a conspirator against your nation’s Constitution.
Now is the time to stand up and be counted ! Won’t you add your voice in defence of your Constitution ?
Or isn’t it that important to you?