Forbes Magazine had a special report this week about Darwin, since the upcoming Darwin Day -- February 12 -- celebrates the bicentennial of his birth (and some guy named A. Lincoln who the Republicans also hate). There were a few good articles in it, but like some insane editor who decided that it just wouldn't be right to have a series of articles celebrating the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth without including articles from leaders of the KKK and other hate groups, Forbes added articles from some of the most famous science-deniers.
Of course, these science deniers like Ken Ham and Jonathan Wells, among others, don't talk about the impact that Darwin's discovery had on science, only why their anti-science nonsense should be accepted, even though it is completely unsupported by any evidence.
What does this have to do with a business publication? Do the pharmaceutical companies who rely on the discoveries about evolution to make new discoveries really want to see a business magazine giving credence to these anti-science folks? What other anti-science and anti-knowledge groups will be given the opportunity to sell their falsehoods? What othe ignorance will Forbes honor?
While some businesses might want ignorant customers at times, it seems unlikely that they want ignorant employees. While some businesses like misleading their customers, they don't want to be misled. What does Forbes want? In the world at large, an informed populace is better than an ignorant one. I would think that even the most flinty businessman would have to question whether he can trust the news he gets from a publication that seems quite willing to ignore facts.
Facts matter. Reality matters. Lincoln and Darwin matter. The people who object to the end of slavery or the discovery of evolution don't really matter, but we do have to speak up against their false teachings. We have to make sure that facts control our understanding of the world and that lies are exposed as such whenever they are presented.