Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture, by Gene Edward Veith, Crossway Books: Wheaton, Il., 1994 p. 19. Today as we enter the twenty-first century, a new worldview is emerging. The “modern,” strange as it is to say, has become old-fashioned. The twentieth century, for all of its achievements and catastrophes, is [...]
cargo cult science
A lecture by Michael Crichton Caltech Michelin Lecture January 17, 2003 My topic today sounds humorous but unfortunately I am serious. I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming. Or to speak more precisely, I will argue that a belief in extraterrestrials has paved the way, in a progression of steps, to [...]
This Spring, in early April, I attended the European Geosciences Union 2011 General Assembly, in Vienna. Here I presented some of my recent scientific work, related to the development of atmospheric turbulence at high-altitudes. In addition to presenting my own work, the Congress gave me another opportunity to study the recent results of colleagues, and [...]
As I study the phenomenon of postmodernism (burn, baby, burn) as it relates to science, I think these links may be fruitful. I will add to these links as new leads become available. Sources from a Christian perspective are in red. Some side effects – Thoughts have consequences, and the post-normalizing of science leads to [...]
The green movement has many religious foundations. For many it has become a religion. It is a manifestation of the resurgence of pagan fundamentalism in the West. Scientists love the opportunity to do research, and the money isn’t bad. Politicians love the power and prestige flowing from science they fund. But the costs of this [...]
On January 28, 1986, close to lunch time, the Space Shuttle Challenger shattered out of existence in the deep sky of Florida. Up to that time, it was arguably the most heart-breaking aviation/aeronautics disaster in American country’s history. Seven astronauts lost their lives – a brilliant South Carolinian physicist, five engineers, and one teacher. Almost [...]
(World Net Daily) During World War II, remote Pacific islands like Vanuatu became involved in war efforts when they became part of supply lines. To the natives the arrival of noisy “birds” was almost miraculous, bringing delicious foods and wondrous cargo. After the war the birds left. Into the uncertain vacuum returned old terrors of [...]
I describe how global warming has become the poster child for post-normal science. This is where science is abused as a political tool, rather than appreciated for what it is: a powerful method to describe how our world works.
A most important lesson, that I try to teach all my students, is on how to avoid being impressed by confidence tricksters dressed in a lab coat. “Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts,” said Feynman. I hope my students take this to heart. CARGO CULT SCIENCE by Richard Feynman Adapted from [...]
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