"Recently at the 30th anniversary conference of the Council for Secular Humanism in Los Angeles, leading science blogger PZ Myers and Point of Inquiry host Chris Mooney appeared together on a panel to discuss the questions, How should secular humanists respond to science and religion? If we champion science, must we oppose faith? How best to approach flashpoints like evolution education?"
The next day, the three reprised their public debate for a special episode of Point of Inquiry. <--This is the unedited cut of that three way conversation.
Chris Mooney is a 2009-2010 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT and the author of three books, The Republican War on Science, Storm World, and Unscientific America.
PZ Myers is a biologist at the University of Minnesota-Morris who, in addition to his duties as a teacher of biology and especially of development and evolution. Also, the author of Pharyngula, the most heavily-trafficked science blog online.
Jennifer Michael Hecht is the author of award-winning books of philosophy, history, and poetry, including: Doubt: A History (HarperCollins, 2003); The End of the Soul: Scientific Modernity, Atheism and Anthropology (Columbia University Press, 2003); and The Happiness Myth, (HarperCollins in 2007). Her work appears in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and The New Yorker. Hecht earned her Ph.D. in History from Columbia University in 1995 and now teaches in the graduate writing program of The New School University.
This is my response to that discussion
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Arizona Senate Bill 1070, Already Seriously Affecting Native Americans?
On April 23, 2010, Gov. Jan Brewer signed the infamous Senate Bill 1070, which makes the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and requires that police officers inquire the immigration status of all individuals who show “reasonable suspicion” of being in the country illegally.
There has been some controversy surrounding the topic of SB 1070, much of it was before the bill even became enacted, but there were still some very real effects already impacting specific Arizonans. While there has been much debate about the effects that SB 1070 will have on Arizona citizens, there is one group of people that are quite often left out of that discussion, the Arizona Indian Nations.
There has been some controversy surrounding the topic of SB 1070, much of it was before the bill even became enacted, but there were still some very real effects already impacting specific Arizonans. While there has been much debate about the effects that SB 1070 will have on Arizona citizens, there is one group of people that are quite often left out of that discussion, the Arizona Indian Nations.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
When Fear of Science Becomes Dangerous
Many people believe that simply having a healthy diet is all that’s needed to guard against disease. Unfortunately, a healthy diet by itself and simply taking vitamin supplements, do not present any immunological challenges; therefore antibodies are not created. So, when a pathogen does enter the body, the immune system is not prepared, and the body becomes infected with disease. If people only focus on their diet and fitness but neglect their immune system, they can improve fitness levels and look well in shape doing so, but their immune system won't look very well prepared against potential infectious diseases.
Only believing in what you can see is just as irrational as only believing in things you can't. But, even bad logic is still logic. For example, a great deal of naturopathy practitioners and homeopathy proponents claim that they prefer a more natural method of protecting their children from illness and disease. The notion is that the chemicals in the vaccine are not "natural", therefore they are deemed as being “toxic” and foreign, which is dangerous because they are unnatural to the body. This is either a good example of a complete absence of scientific knowledge or an obvious perversion of science that can potentially endanger an entire community.
The human body is comprised of chemicals that are just like the one’s found in vaccines. But, all of these scary sounding ingredients are added for a very specific purpose.
Pathogens are the agents which produce disease. When the body is exposed to a pathogen, it irritates and the immune system into producing antibodies to fight off the pathogen and its ill effects. Vaccines simply simulate that process by emulating specific pathogens to generate the appropriate irritation in order to produce the proper antibodies for protection against the apparent future exposure to some infectious organism. Much like the muscles in our body, the immune system needs to be stimulated in order to grow and strengthen functionality. This sort of stimulation comes through in the form of these immune system challenges that provoke an immunological response.
Only believing in what you can see is just as irrational as only believing in things you can't. But, even bad logic is still logic. For example, a great deal of naturopathy practitioners and homeopathy proponents claim that they prefer a more natural method of protecting their children from illness and disease. The notion is that the chemicals in the vaccine are not "natural", therefore they are deemed as being “toxic” and foreign, which is dangerous because they are unnatural to the body. This is either a good example of a complete absence of scientific knowledge or an obvious perversion of science that can potentially endanger an entire community.
The human body is comprised of chemicals that are just like the one’s found in vaccines. But, all of these scary sounding ingredients are added for a very specific purpose.
Pathogens are the agents which produce disease. When the body is exposed to a pathogen, it irritates and the immune system into producing antibodies to fight off the pathogen and its ill effects. Vaccines simply simulate that process by emulating specific pathogens to generate the appropriate irritation in order to produce the proper antibodies for protection against the apparent future exposure to some infectious organism. Much like the muscles in our body, the immune system needs to be stimulated in order to grow and strengthen functionality. This sort of stimulation comes through in the form of these immune system challenges that provoke an immunological response.
How Intelligent Individuals Aquire Irrational Beliefs
Our society has taken a dangerous turn, an anti-science one. Information bombards us daily through various forms of media, such as television, internet websites, and through our daily conversations. Differentiating the useful information from the bad is a skill that is often neglected. By bringing attention to these types of logically fallacious pitfalls that misinterpret misinformation as truth, we can more effectively and efficiently encounter and address them.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Reported Pertussis Cases on the Rise: What Parents Need to Know
Back to school time has begun all across the nation, meaning that children will soon be in the ideal environment for spreading disease. Being in such close quarters around other kid’s has them sharing more than just toys. In some cases, kids share lunches, the same drinks, or even the things that another kid puts in their mouth.
There are sets of standard state vaccination requirements that must be met before enrolling children in school or day care. Parents can check the resources below for Arizona's back to school information about the vaccines required for child care and school attendance for the 2010-2011 school year. Despite these protective and proactive state requirements, cases of pertussis have been on the rise.
Many Americans don’t realize the most important role that immunization plays in our society because of the fact it’s so successful. Parents often rationalize not getting their child vaccinated, or delaying the vaccine, simply because of a lack in recent outbreaks. But, the notions that a lack of outbreaks is a direct result of more parents getting their children vaccinated, is a concept that is often neglected. Many people, even educated ones, are not only placing their children at risk, but the entire community they live in.
There are sets of standard state vaccination requirements that must be met before enrolling children in school or day care. Parents can check the resources below for Arizona's back to school information about the vaccines required for child care and school attendance for the 2010-2011 school year. Despite these protective and proactive state requirements, cases of pertussis have been on the rise.
Many Americans don’t realize the most important role that immunization plays in our society because of the fact it’s so successful. Parents often rationalize not getting their child vaccinated, or delaying the vaccine, simply because of a lack in recent outbreaks. But, the notions that a lack of outbreaks is a direct result of more parents getting their children vaccinated, is a concept that is often neglected. Many people, even educated ones, are not only placing their children at risk, but the entire community they live in.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)