Which Ideology Poses a Greater Threat to Science?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the perceived threats to science posed by different ideological groups, specifically the Academic Left and the Religious-Cultural Right. Participants explore various ideas and criticisms associated with these groups, touching on topics such as epistemic relativism, biblical literalism, and the implications of certain scientific concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that the Academic Left promotes ideas like epistemic relativism and postmodernism, which they believe undermine scientific methods and findings.
  • Others suggest that the Religious-Cultural Right poses a threat through beliefs such as biblical literalism and creationism, which they argue challenge established scientific disciplines like evolution and neuroscience.
  • One participant recounts an anecdote about protests against scientific discoveries, suggesting a historical tension between feminist movements and scientific advancements.
  • Another participant raises a controversial claim regarding the term 'Black Hole' being viewed as racist, questioning the motivations behind such interpretations.
  • Several comments express frustration towards feminist critiques of scientific concepts, with some participants suggesting that certain scientific theories are unfairly labeled as discriminatory or elitist.
  • There is a mention of a specific academic book that discusses the biological bases of sexual coercion, which some participants believe has been misinterpreted by feminist critics as justifying rape.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions, with no clear consensus on which ideology poses a greater threat to science. The discussion includes multiple competing views and interpretations of the ideologies in question.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect personal experiences and interpretations that may not be universally accepted. The discussion includes references to specific ideologies and their critiques, which may depend on individual perspectives and definitions.

Moridin
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With regards to their assault on science, its methods and findings? Note that this is a hefty generalization.

Academic Left:

Notable ideas includes epistemic relativism, postmodernism, the blank slate, the noble savage, the ghost in the machine, culture independent from biology, gender as a social construct etc. Favorite disciplines to attack includes anthropology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, most forms of consilience that bridges natural and social sciences etc.

Religious-Cultural Right:

Notable ideas includes biblical literalism, original sin, abstinence only education, the ghost in the machine, creationism, the family, moral absolutism etc. Favorite disciplines to attack include evolution, neuroscience, sociology, certain parts of cultural anthropology etc.
 
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My professor told me that some 30 years ago he had "feminists" protesting his school, because of all the new particles they were detecting. Apparently it was a phallic symbol to create all those particles or something.
 
Those damn feminists. When's someone going to do something about them?
As far as the generalization goes I can not stand the religious right. I don't have a problem with the religious part, just the I'm right and anyone who doesn't agree me me is wrong and is going to hell part.
 
Apparently, E = mc2 is also discriminatory and elitist, since it privileges just one of the many, many speeds there are, and on top of that, the highest. What a patriarchal wester orthodoxy!

Also, calling rape 'natural' or that it occurs frequently in nature somehow justifies it.
 
Moridin said:
Apparently, E = mc2 is also discriminatory and elitist, since it privileges just one of the many, many speeds there are, and on top of that, the highest. What a patriarchal wester orthodoxy!

Also, calling rape 'natural' or that it occurs frequently in nature somehow justifies it.

I have never heard anyone try to justify rape. What kind of people do you hang around with?
 
tribdog said:
I have never heard anyone try to justify rape. What kind of people do you hang around with?

No, a bunch of feminists got upset because of the academic book "A Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion" and claimed that explaining the natural mechanisms behind it would somehow legitimize the act itself.
 
Call it "organic" next time.
 

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