While reading ScienceBlogs today, my attention was drawn to this compelling admonition:
Stamp out Anti-science by Michael Edmonds. He highlights an editorial by Paul Nurse in New Scientist this month. First, I was surprised (and a little sad) that a blog from New Zealand was my first exposure to this. And second that it was a scientist from the UK who is leading this charge.
Some of you may remember when I did a post on his "Science Under Attack" show, where he addressed the issues of deniers and dissemblers of all sorts--climate deniers, HIV deniers, anti-vaxxers, and more. He's been battling nonsense for quite some time, and it's been great to see.
Sigh. I wish leading American scientists would stand up like this. Of course, not so many have the job security that Nurse does. A Nobel Prize winner, he's currently the president of the Royal Society.
Well, he's continuing to press for two things. For science and the weight of evidence, and expert opinion--not cherry-picked data, not made up internet crap--to be the foundation for crucial policy decisions when that affect us all.
Stamp out anti-science in US politics
One problem is treating scientific discussion as if it were political debate. When some politicians try to sway public opinion, they employ the tricks of the debating chamber: cherry-picking data, ignoring the consensus opinions of experts, adept use of a sneer or a misplaced comparison, reliance on the power of rhetoric rather than argument.
As he did in the Science Under Attack show he also calls out the media for that preference for fiery dispute we see which we know is really harmful, but apparently very titillating for news producers.
He also calls for scientists to engage in the public debates. I know that for a long time scientists wanted the science to speak for itself. And that staying out of politics made some sense so that it wouldn't affect grant funding. But that didn't really serve us well, did it? Many stood by as stem cell research was thwarted, as school boards wound up full of creationists, and as Jenny McCarthy's team brought us to the point where Michele Bachmann would actually make ridiculous and unsupported claims about vaccination.
We scientists also need to work harder at discussing the issues better and more fully in the public arena, clearly identifying what we know and admitting what we don't know.
He warns that letting the anti-science forces win will weaken the US, and drive out scientists. And that we'll become laughing stocks pretty much.
But this was my favorite part:
Finally, scientific leaders have a responsibility to expose the bunkum.
He charges us to not let "nonsense" lead us into the darkness. Expose the bunkum.
Re-tweet the message:
RT @mem_somerville: Paul Nurse #FTW: Stamp out anti-science in US politics http://bit.ly/nKjb3s "expose the bunkum"