Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

This possibility occurred to me years ago. I think the role of "Science" with a capital "S" needs to be taken down a peg. After World War II, a lot of people thought that governance should be turned to a panel of "objective" and "disinterested" technicians. IOW, Paul Krugman would be dictator for life and Micheal Mann would be his deputy. This is an idea so idiotic only someone who takes the New York Times seriously could believe in it.
1 posted on 02/04/2014 10:40:11 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies ]


To: Lonesome in Massachussets

May lead to a scientific dark age. . .I think we are already there, but when the lights are off, no one can see.


2 posted on 02/04/2014 10:43:29 AM PST by gspurlock (http://www.backyardfence.wordpress.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
Science changed dramatically in the 1970s, when the reward structure in the profession began to revolve around the acquisition of massive amounts of taxpayer funding that was external to the normal budgets of the universities and federal laboratories. In climate science, this meant portraying the issue in dire terms, often in alliance with environmental advocacy organizations. Predictably, scientists (and their institutions) became addicted to the wealth, fame, and travel in the front of the airplane:

From President Eisenhower's farewell address.

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers. The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present -- and is gravely to be regarded.

Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

Eisenhower hit dead center with that warning.
3 posted on 02/04/2014 10:48:24 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Republican amnesty supporters don't care whether their own homes are called mansions or haciendas.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
I've long feared that the corruption of rigorous science and the scientific method would be the lasting legacy of politicized global warming/climate change hysteria. It seems to be happening.

In addition to the lush funding of science in pursuit of political objectives, many of today's "scientists" have learned they can obtain their 15 minutes of fame by making dramatic (but not peer-reviewed) announcements to the media.

5 posted on 02/04/2014 11:00:59 AM PST by Bernard Marx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
This is just the latest and greatest of the junk science fiascoes that followed WWII. The overselling the dangers of nuclear energy, Silent Spring and the banning of DDT, the acid rain scare, silicone breast implants . . .

Science has been perverted to serve political ends and, yes, there will be hell to pay for it with the loss of much credibility.

6 posted on 02/04/2014 11:04:31 AM PST by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets

the corruption in science have been happening since the start. Theres always the establishment view and and those who think outside this view are treated as heretics. I just read the other day an article that suggest that development in cold fusion may have been set back decades because of established views


7 posted on 02/04/2014 11:10:11 AM PST by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets

I am sorry you have to misfortune to live in Mass. and I would bet you are lonesome.

When you sell a house the buyer may hire a inspector to check the mechanical systems of the house. I have sold a few over my life and I always tell the buyer that bear in mind that you are paying someone to find something wrong with this house. They will find something wrong in order to justify their overpriced inspection. Without fail that is exactly what happens.

Last house we sold daughter of the buyer, both women, had a radon inspection done. Cost a 125 bucks for the inspection and then the inspector charged the old lady 800 bucks for a radon detector. The guy we bought the house from was in his 90’s when he died and no connection to radon was made. We had lived there for 5 years with no ill effects.

I had told the old lady buying the house that the radon was a scam. I was overruled by her daughter who was a school system employee who buys into any government horse apples she hears of.

Global warming is the same deal. The government tells the scientists what results it is looking for and the scientists reach those results no matter what they have to do. The old saying that the man who pays the fiddler calls the tune is in effect and this BS is taken as gospel by the masses of dummies that now inhabit the formerly great US.

Common sense is out of style and believing the unbelievable is in. I had Elvis’s two headed love child is now a common headline, the more unbelievable the more it is believed. Mooshelle is the best dressed and possesses the best sense of style in America. We are outnumbered by the zombies, God have mercy on us.


9 posted on 02/04/2014 11:17:42 AM PST by Foundahardheadedwoman (God don't have a statute of limitations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Between the overselling of global warming and the undercutting of cold fusion, the scientific community has a lot to answer for. The scientist’s dark age may only be a consequence of the dark age with which they are threatening us all.

My hope is that modern technology, including desktop supercomputers and 3D printing, will make scientific research so cheap that it won’t require massive government funding.


10 posted on 02/04/2014 11:18:04 AM PST by AZLiberty (No tag today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
QUOTE: "...a lot of people thought that governance should be turned to a panel of "objective" and "disinterested" technicians.

IGY by Donald Fagan:

On that train all graphite and glitter
Undersea by rail
Ninety minutes from New York to Paris
(more leisure for artist everywhere)
A just machine to make big decisions
Programmed by fellows with compassion and vision
We'll be clean when their work is done
We'll be eternally free yes and eternally young

What a glorious world this will be
What a glorious time to be free

12 posted on 02/04/2014 11:44:55 AM PST by jimmyray
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
Yep..the CommieLibs love to bitch and whine about "Big Tobacco" and "Big Oil". "Big Science" and "Big Education" are the real threats.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

13 posted on 02/04/2014 11:47:58 AM PST by wku man (We are the 53%! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUXN0GDuLN4)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Very similar to the ecclesiastic class that used to be regarded as an unquestionable authority until people actually got to read the Book for themselves.

The power of so-called scientists, much like so-called judges, should be reigned in.


14 posted on 02/04/2014 11:50:43 AM PST by Viennacon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Lonesome in Massachussets
Paltridge lays out the well-known uncertainties in climate forecasting. These include our inability to properly simulate clouds that are anything like what we see in the real world, the embarrassing lack of average surface warming now in its 17th year, and the fumbling (and contradictory) attempts to explain it away.

Clouds are the key to moderation of Global Temperatures. Low clouds reflect the infrared heat from the earth back to the earth. That is why with all other factors the same, cloudy nights are not as cold as a clear sky night. High clouds reflect heat back into space.

Any computer model for global warming that can not reproduce cloud formation is absolute crap and the modeling results from the program are also crap.

17 posted on 02/04/2014 12:17:13 PM PST by cpdiii (Deckhand, Roughneck, Mud Man, Geologist, Pilot, Pharmacist. THE CONSTITUTION IS WORTH DYING FOR!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson