tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716347331682132223.post4765950058618986987..comments2023-10-20T02:08:39.524-07:00Comments on Atheism: Proving The Negative: You don't REALLY believe THAT, do you? Matt McCormickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071078570021986664noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716347331682132223.post-30410557317404001092012-12-05T13:29:45.214-08:002012-12-05T13:29:45.214-08:00(Responding to Warren): First, it's important ...(Responding to Warren): First, it's important to note that, for instance, the climate change denial crowd are decidedly not the same crowd as the anti-vaccine people. All of these groups have the same proclivities as the Young Earth Creationists (and, as he notes, many "believers" in evolution): they accept scientific consensus in the great majority of things, and then reject it in some corner.<br /><br />If you ask an anti-vaccine activist, or a climate denier, or an alt med person, most of them will say (and honestly) that they are pro-science. And while many of these people have little grasp of the scientific method, that is also true of (for instance) many environmentalists worried about climate change. Moreover, if you read some of what I will call the "better" blogs denying the human role in climate change (such as Steve McIntyre's Climate Audit), you will see that they use very painstaking, detailed discussion of actual scientific evidence for their position.<br /><br />The fact, in other words, that there are amazingly large numbers of people who reject the dominant views on scientific subjects does not mean that there is a mass movement overall against science. There is a world of difference between being in favor of science and understanding it, and also between understanding science and agreeing with scientific consensus on every single subject.Mikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364551332802959246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716347331682132223.post-54638004841538848752012-12-05T12:10:50.264-08:002012-12-05T12:10:50.264-08:00I really like Stephen Pinker, but he's just wr...I really like Stephen Pinker, but he's just wrong here. It's unfortunate and I wish he were right, but he's not.<br /><br />Witness the antivaccination crowd, the climate change denial crowd, and on and on, the growing popularity of homeopathy and other "alternative" medicines. I'm probably missing some others.<br /><br />American kids no longer want to be scientists, they idolize and want to be sports stars, rock stars, or famous actors. Science is for dorks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06483833486654947825noreply@blogger.com