I Want to Save a Child's Sight!

Monday, August 08, 2005

Design for Confusion

Krugman (8-5): "The most spectacular example is the campaign to discredit research on global warming. Despite an overwhelming scientific consensus, many people have the impression that the issue is still unresolved. This impression reflects the assiduous work of conservative think tanks, which produce and promote skeptical reports that look like peer-reviewed research, but aren't. And behind it all lies lavish financing from the energy industry, especially ExxonMobil."

"There are several reasons why fake research is so effective. One is that nonscientists sometimes find it hard to tell the difference between research and advocacy - if it's got numbers and charts in it, doesn't that make it science?"

"Which brings us, finally, to intelligent design. Some of America's most powerful politicians have a deep hatred for Darwinism. Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, blamed the theory of evolution for the Columbine school shootings. But sheer political power hasn't been enough to get creationism into the school curriculum. The theory of evolution has overwhelming scientific support, and the country isn't ready - yet - to teach religious doctrine in public schools."

"The important thing to remember is that like supply-side economics or global-warming skepticism, intelligent design doesn't have to attract significant support from actual researchers to be effective. All it has to do is create confusion, to make it seem as if there really is a controversy about the validity of evolutionary theory. That, together with the political muscle of the religious right, may be enough to start a process that ends with banishing Darwin from the classroom." [NYT]

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think we need to add a double edge to the sword of "intelligent design". These crazy denizens of the religious right have not taken into account that just maybe evolution is the intelligent design. How else are self aware complex life forms with strong immune systems, and intricate internal organs supposed to develop? Apparently Tom Delay and his wack-job right-wing buddies think that we popped out of the ground like the Fightning Uruk-hai of Izengard fully evolved and ready to hit the ground running.

Seriously though, branding evolution as the intelligent design would actually defang the religious right in this argument, and would likely result in the evolution being adopted in education systems in places like Kansas and would protect evolution in education systems elsewhere across the country.