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To: Always Right
I have lost much faith in integrity of science, and I have a degree in engineering.

Same here. Scientists who work in the private sector can only get away with so much BS. But watch out for roving bands of scientists who make grandiose pronouncements --as in global cooling (circa 1977), global warming, nuclear power or evolutionary theory.

18 posted on 07/17/2008 7:47:15 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: Aquinasfan; Always Right

How do you know that the Earth revolves around the sun and rotates on its polar axis? How do you know that the earth isn’t flat?

How much direct evidence do you have, how familiar are you with the details? Most of our knowledge, especially about “Science with a capital S” is second- or third- or nth-hand. The vast majority of people who scoff at flat earthers cannot site any evidence (barring photographs taken of the earth from space) for their belief in a spherical or ellisoidal of other geometrically shaped earth.

As late as the 1880s the chemistry department of the University of Paris tried to keep the number of professors who advocated atomic theory of matter balanced with those opposed. The Bohr atom (mini solar system) only dates from the early 20th century.

A great number of the things that we take for granted as settled, are only known through indirect and inferrential evidence. A great body of evidence, all of it self consistent and verified daily by experience, but subtle nonetheless.

Global Warming Theory (or hypothesis) is in no way central to our understanding of science, physics, meteorology or climatology. Rather, it is deduced from more fundamental principles. Its lay adherents exhibit intellectual habits more consistent with religous cultists or political zealots than the open mindedness and curiousity that is supposed to be the hallmark of modern science.

That “accredited” scientists fall into thrall with religous or political aspects of Global Warming Theory says more about scientific accrediation than it does about science. Many scientists are fustrated, unfullfilled and blame the “system” for failing to bestow on them the status and wealth they feel they deserve. They view the world with religous or political eyes and are really advocates of a particular position (positions whose vindication will bestow status and wealth on them) rather than impartial judges of facts.


93 posted on 07/17/2008 6:06:07 PM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Hillary to Obama: Arkancide happens.)
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