OK, Lysenko isn't directly related, but eugenics is. It's funny to think of Gore as being a modern day Sanger.
On "philosophical" string theory, have you read Smolin's The Trouble With Physics. Not great literature but interesting. On the whole I think he's too hard on the String Theorists. My view is that all this time they've been struggling to build a theory that connects with reality but just haven't managed.
Really, I think you're much too pessimistic.
Thank you! I do consider myself a decent scientist.