Supposedly, 1/10th of 1 percent of all individuals will reach the lofty benchmark of a doctoral degree in their chosen profession. Surely an erudite establishment if ever there were... right?
Then consider, if you will, America. Land of the free, home of the brave and whatnot. In the history of the world, has there ever been a place where one could enjoy such an enormity of freedom? Freedom of speech, of thought of religion.... you name it, we've got it....right?
So shouldn't America be a scientific utopia?
A paradise of ideas and intellect, where the mind is free to follow ideas and research where they will, unrestrained by dogma or institutionalized bias...
not so much..
not even close.
Science is no longer the realm of rich, brainy aristocrats who studied whatever they found important - it is a multibillion dollar industry and as such, subject to the capricious whims of those holding the purse strings. In other words, science has become a 'pay and play' arrangement where research is payed for hence designed for a specific purpose. Think tobacco research, pharmaceuticals, etc.
It is more than just money though - were it only dollar signs, I would be less concerned. Much of this scientific oligarchy unites behind a singular banner, 'the establishment'
I laugh/vomit a little in my mouth every time I hear some talking head science-idiot describe 'consensus' in science and the 'debate' over a certain subject being 'over'. Newtonian science was the consensus prior to Einstein, Ptolemy's earth centered universe was consensus prior to Copernicus, an atom was the smallest unit of matter prior to Max Plank or Einstein or whatever super egghead figured it out... the point being is science is rarely if EVER settled. When a better descriptor comes along, that is reproducible - then bingo, we have a new leading theory.
Like high school, science has been relegated to a popularity contest. You had better study black holes or string theory, man made global warming or Darwinian evolution if you want to be popular (and if you are unpopular, good luck getting a job by the way)
Science has become proclamation. One need go no further than global warming to understand this. It is the ultimate scientific establishment. The money and subsequent power that resides behind this badly flawed theorem is staggering. Careers are made or destroyed by either kneeling at or daring to question this particular thug-ocracy. Despite solid evidence of tampering (see Climate Gate emails, etc) the Global Warming Establishment is unfazed and continues it's relentless march - fueled by a self-righteousness unparalleled in most of our lifetimes. The inexorable assault on our liberty follows in it's footsteps - 'legitimized' all the while by 'science' to protect us from ourselves.
Science IS dead
Can it be resurrected?
Only if debate is encouraged and flourishes
Only if the 'establishment' can either accept competing ideas, or is removed
Only if science can commit to an open dialogue allowing for an open forum of ideas
Only if science becomes decoupled from politics
and monkeys might fly out of my ass..
In this current climate, science (and the rest of us for that matter) are completely screwed - I can only hope that a tipping point has been reached, where enough rational people have seen through the veil of hypocrisy and stupidity and insist upon (and fight for) a better tomorrow.
Pessimistic about today
Hopeful for tomorrow
Long live science
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Damn interesting discussion. Mixed bag, imo. Eric J. Lerner and Halton Arp dared question that going observable phenomena such as red shift and microwave "white noise" to the *assumption* of singularity and big bang required a massive leap of FAITH. That's a good way to lose funing from the grant gods. On the other hand, researchers can (and do) shop China, India, Germany, Sweden.
ReplyDeleteBut the Swedes (Virgin Galactic) are renting desert fifty miles north of here at a real, live commercial spaceport, sci fi come true in my lifetime, so not ready to nail the science coffin shut just yet.
Unfortunately, the US-press loves the Hawkings loons of the world, but what rattles around in his head isn't necessarily taken as seriously as work by other folks less enamored by the press.