A Harvard authority explains that cockroaches have been around for three hundred million years. Those bugs will probably still be around cleaning up the mess long after we humans have put ourselves out of existence. Continue reading
Blog Posts and Writings Tagged: Science
Blog 116. Understanding the social angst
There’s an angst in American society that has no single focus, no single cause. Why do the political right and the political left promote simplistic, unrealistic solutions? Because the system itself promotes those who promote the problems. Continue reading
Blog 104. Why scientists have no power
Not electrical power. The other kind, social power. The ability to influence other people and events. What psychologist Dacher Keltner says is the ability to make a difference. Continue reading
Blog 87. Wall Street and the myth of basic science
The 24 October Wall Street Journal featured an long (2200 words) essay by Matt Ridley (member, British House of Lords; author; and former chair of a failed British bank). Entitled “The Myth of Basic Science,” the essay argues that publicly funded basic scientific research is not beneficial, Continue reading
Blog 80. Belief can be valid
I’ve been preparing a presentation to distinguish science and belief, a little of which appears in Blog 11. Other postings here cover the current science wars in which belief is threatened by science Continue reading
Blog 77. Science—what it is, what it isn’t
Along with our cultural distrust of government, American society doesn’t trust science, whether the scientific information is about climate, vaccines, evolution, or toothpaste. What’s going on? Why can’t we sort the valid information from the advertising? Continue reading
Blog 73. Money Sources and Sinks in Corporate-style Education
If state legislatures are stingy, where can public universities go to get the income that pays their administrators very well, while paying their lower-ranked faculty [1] less than well? Continue reading
Blog 71. The War on Science
The cover of the March 2015 issue of National Geographic magazine blazes with the title, “THE WAR ON SCIENCE.” Continue reading