When Science Becomes a Cult – IOTW Report

When Science Becomes a Cult

American Thinker:

By William DiPuccio

Skepticism is at the heart of the scientific method.  Question everything.  Test everything.  Scientific knowledge is established by evidence, not authority.  The method is sound, but the execution may be imperfect.  That’s why I have faith in the methods of science but not necessarily in scientists.

Experts in science have a store of credibility that can be maintained only by their performance.  I have a great deal of trust in the meteorologists at the National Weather Service because their forecasts are 80%–90% accurate (no weatherman jokes, please — I used to be one!).  But if most of their predictions began to fail, I would turn elsewhere for my weather forecasts.

So it comes as a surprise that so many in the public have expressed a growing trust in medical scientists, even after a series of spectacular failures.  According to a newly published survey by Pew Research, public confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interest of the public increased from 35% in 2019, with “a great deal of confidence before the outbreak,” to 43% in April 2020. 

Granted, some of the public health failures surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic were the result of incomplete data, but many of them could have been avoided. MORE

18 Comments on When Science Becomes a Cult

  1. As it is with trustworthy scientists, so too historians. It takes a lot of reading and primary research to identify who is honest and who has an agenda.

    (Have I said recently just how much I detest that brat’s ridiculously scowling face?)

    19
  2. w/ all the silliness going on tonight, AA wins the internet tonight for that quote

    Applause, applause, applause

    (now, back to the lamest riots in history)

    5
  3. @Horatio Prim May 30, 2020 at 11:37 pm

    > Believe good reliable science, not rotten agenda driven scientists.

    But what do we need to leave under our pillows? So the Science Fairy will leave us good reliable science? And not that truthiness peddled by rotten agenda driven scientists?

    1
  4. I’ve often said there are three questions that would destroy most of the arguments on the left.

    The first is: ‘Compared to what?’

    The second is: ‘At what cost?’

    And the third is: ‘What hard evidence do you have?’

    Now there are very few ideas on the left that can pass all of those…”

    15
  5. I’d love to meet her. And ask her honestly about the abuse she was subject to by her parents.

    I’d also like to ask her when she is going to complete high school.

    4
  6. Fuck that Anonymous — always whinging and maundering about how his snatch stinks.

    We had a phrase for that, in the old days, for those assholes, “My pussy hurts!”

    6
  7. Science, and even “science,” is too arcane for a lot of people (apparently).
    Moonrise seems to leave them spellbound.
    They watch movies about magic and believe.
    They dread zombies.
    They believe anything because they have no foundation to know – our “educational” system has been miserable for decades (in terms of education, not of indoctrination).
    Knowledge and Belief are synonymous to them. They are mesmerized and exalted by buffoonery. Mush-Mouth Jackson and the Mumbling Fool Sharpton can raise them to riotous frenzy. Cackling Clinton seems brilliant. They put their lives in the hands of a Whitmer!

    izlamo delenda est …

    6
  8. As a famous poster said, hey anonymous you asshole, chew a stick of dynamite. Fair disclosure, I added the you asshole because anonymous is an asshole, and to be honest I think a lot of people are tired of his bullshit.

    2
  9. Eviro scammers!

    The Asshole media up here in Canuckistan are extolling the environmental benefits of the lock down especially the state owned CBC.

    Less pollution, more time at home, more time with family, possible 4 day work weeks, commercial buildings can be repurposed for residential, etc.

    Incidentally gasoline is 0.93 per litre which is still way too high
    considering no one is using it & the barrel price.

    Ignoring;

    No houses being built, no cars trucks and durable goods being built, reduced food processing, huge backlogs for dentistry, medical procedures, critical mechanical systems being ignored, kids getting very little excercise and very watered down education.

    Worse yet, some media is starting to mention the increased suicide & drug abuse rates but as usual their solution is more government money from the imaginary money tree in the sky.

    But the air is cleaner! Fuck You Greta and Gore!

    Moore film waa also taken down. asshole.

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