A World of Anti-Science

Do we live in a world of anti-science? anti-knowledge? pro-nonsense? ...

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For those who dislike facts...

Intelligent Design (as opposed to evolution):
"a legitimate scientific theory that should be taught in science class":
http://www.arn.org/docs/ohio/washtimes_santorum031402.htm

Climate change:
"natural, cyclical environmental trends",
"we can't say with assurance that human activities cause weather changes":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/08/AR20091208034...

Texan fires:
"day's a prayer for rain":
http://governor.state.tx.us/news/proclamation/16038/
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For those who like facts...
What is science? http://youtu.be/KQzK9XNmGsI

For those who like irreverent nonsense...
http://youtu.be/3wUw_2vxGg0

Category:

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Tags:

• science
• anti-science
• pseudoscience
• quackery
• astrology
• Astronomy
• Albert Einstein
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• physics
• biology
• beliefs
• religion
• catholicism
• galileo
• ross
• Ross Exton
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• Richard Dawkins
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• intelligent design
• denialism
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• climate change
• L'Aquila

[tremault]

the earth doesn't revolve around the sun. the sun and the earth both revolve around a common centre of gravity that just happens to be very close to the centre of the sun. the same as the earth and moon system.

about anti vaccinations. I don't know about other people, and I'm not against all vaccinations, but i want to share one point of view, that is, sometimes going to the doctor is like taking your ferrari to the local part time mechanic. and some vaccinations are dangerous.

[rossexton]

@tremault The Sun & Earth both exert a gravitational pull upon one another, but so do all the other planets and moons in our solar system. There's an awesome simulator called 'Universe Sandbox' if you're interested in playing with the gravity of planets & stars. But all of that is beside the underlying point I was making in the video.

Some vaccinations have side-effects, but some people have this perception that they're designed to hurt you. Vaccinations are created to ultimately cure disease.

[emmfan09]

I definitely think we live in a world of prononsense. All of those actual quotes are terrifying, and I don't know why politicians choose to stamper around in ignorance.

[rossexton]

@emmfan09 It's as if they like being wrong. I will never understand it.

[LaurenNIHON]

Personally, I consider myself an independent. I like ideas from both the Republicans and the Democrats. That being said I CAN'T STAND how religious American politics has become. I think this is why politicians (and Republicans are always the most religious) do not accept scientific ideas readily. American society might be going down the tubes if people like Michelle Bachman continue to try to run for office. It's scary!! Great video! :)

[rossexton]

@LaurenNIHON I just hope that people will eventually see through their false claims. I fear they won't :-(

[unassumption]

That's to say we can't blame people for not thinking scientifically - that's just not what we evolved for. We need to understand why intelligent people still believe in creationism and other nonsense to coax them out of it. The first step is recognizing we do live in an anti-science species, that there's a problem, before we can solve it.

[unassumption]

@rossexton

society today is so alienated from a world without technology, and the suffering it causes, they don't realize how good they have it. All they see are the rare or small side-effects of a medicine that's probably the only reason they haven't got smallpox.

[unassumption]

More we're a species of anti-science. Our brains didn't evolve for empiricism and nor did our culture. Thankfully we can overcome our intuition somewhat.

[metalisdabomb36]

@willyzenilly science and skepticism go hand in hand. Scientific skepticism is immensely positive in that it fights to expose harmful pseudosciences and cultural trends such as anti vaccinationists and fundamentalist religion. Again do not confuse scientific skepticism from simple ideology based denial as we just want to see the evidence.

[Volkblin]

Science is rapidly ruining the world as we can see, the only way to fix it is live like cavemen without science or learn more about science so we wont be as harmful. Since we probably wont throw away our cars and whatnot i hope ridiculous religions go extinct soon, in my opinion they're harming people more then helping

[DanielWMcDonough]

There are not trillions of stars in the Milky Way. Best estimates are 100-200 billion. ;)

[willyzenilly]

Science is positive, scepticism is a bit like cynicism, it is is purely negative.

Doesn't suit you.

Like the hairs on your chest, wish you'd show them on all your vids.

[pureawesomeness2012]

and this is why humanity is gonna stay on this stupid rock and never get anywhere in the universe.

[jeffdustin]

@rossexton Successful politicians do ultimately what the majority of voters want, that is to feel safe, get revenge, pay less and have more, what have you. Politicians practice the political science of Machiavelli. The political crucible forges hard core pragmatists. If you want to change the ignorance of the politicians, educate the citizenry.

[univacbill]

While I mostly agree with your thesis, your description of Galileo's "persecution" is slanted. From what I've read, he was really persecuted for not doing things properly and being a bit of an A-hole (albeit a brilliant one).