Welcome to yet another blog... This one's going to be about science today: new discoveries, debunking pseudoscience, and controversies. If you have a question about something in science, leave a comment and I'll try to address it. I encourage debate in the comments section - but no name-calling!
To start the ball rolling, I'd like to draw your attention to the tendancy of poor reporting on science in the media. The Guardian recently ran a good article discussing it. This article was brought to my attention by sclerotic rings, where I mentioned that I recently saw a CNN article on a computer virus that'd taken down the station, and their own slow response to fix it. In the very same article criticizing their own reactions, they interviewed MANY newscasters and behind-the-scenes people laughing and joking about not knowing what a worm is. "Hah hah, it's okay to not have a clue what's going on!"
I think this eroding of science in the media is leading to a general disrespect for the method and results of science in the general public in the US, thus allowing non-scientific ideas to take root, such as astrology, the Moon Landing Hoax conspiracy theory, and Intelligent Design (ID).
Discuss.
Expect me to say "prove it."
This looks like a great venue and quite a daunting task! I look forward to your posts and when I think about it will throw some questions your way.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the media. It seems that popular opinion is what matters in "science" (at least when the media talk about it). Science is not a democracy!
And while I believe that the universe was intelligently designed, it is not a scientific theory. Scientific theory must be disprovable. God is not provable. Science and Religion aim to answer different questions...
Cheers!
Matt
Thanks! I hope you don't mind the link to your blog. :) Few spiritual people see the line between science and religion, and it's refreshing when someone does.
ReplyDeleteMy motivation for this blog is how I keep having interesting conversations on others' blogs on where science and religion meet, and the role of religion in my atheist life, and I'd love to spark similar discussions here. Being who I am though, it's gotta be through the channel of science. ;)
Indeed.
ReplyDeleteFrom a Christian perspective, I think it is important to be able to distinguish between religion and science in order to have meaningful discussion. On both sides of science and religion, figuring out what is scientific theory vs. faith based belief is crucial to figure out what and why we believe to be true... if that makes any sense.
Do I have scientific proof that God exists? No. Do I have reason to believe He does? Yes. Do I think God needs proof to be Truth? No. Do I find asking myself questions and then answering them annoying? Yes.
Here's to good dialogue!
Matt
Hmmm. Hmmmmm. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting and I hope I might have a word or two to say occasionally!