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"Scientific American" decides to stop reporting Science, more creationism.
mr.Curmudgeon:
from their editorial
Okay, We Give Up
mrC
Bones:
Why not just change the name to Nexus? ::)
menace:
Nice editorial--wonder how many heads it went over?
APFelon:
Probably not many. Subtle satire it is not.
I used to read SA quite often, and I still pick one up every once in a while. The problem isn't that they dismiss religious-based theories, it is that they take so much time dismissing them (this op ed is one more example).
They have also broadened their definition of "science" to include topics such as sociology (poverty, slavery) which many see as non-science related and agenda driven.
Let's hope they'll broaden it again to include "the sweet science"-- boxing! It couldn't possibly hurt their credibility.
They also seem to have a "theory of the week" when it comes to the destruction of humanity through catastrophic climate change or collisions with asteroids. But hey, let's face it, scaring people by telling them that an enormous amount of methane will be released from the ocean floor if the climate keeps warming (which of course is caused by humans), poisoning the atmosphere and killing us all does sell magazines.
They puctuate these types of theories with threats of giant rocks from space. Hypochondriacs aren't as obsessive.
I'm sure that they will get a chuckle out of their core readership with this "tongue-deeply-in-cheek" op-ed, it won't improve their hostile reputation or dissuade anyone from believing that SA hates religion and the religious.
Which is a shame. It was once a very fine magazine when it actually stuck with science and they kept their bigotry to themselves and their tinfoil hats off of their craniums.
APf
mr.Curmudgeon:
--- Quote from: APFelon on March 26, 2005, 09:42:09 am ---Which is a shame. It was once a very fine magazine when it actually stuck with science and they kept their bigotry to themselves and their tinfoil hats off of their craniums.
--- End quote ---
The scientific community has been under attack by the Bush Administration and it fundamental Christian subset since he first took office. Would you that SA should just roll over and watch these relentless attacks and smile?
We've got IMAX theaters in the south refusing to show films that incorporate evolution. We've got funding for the sciences at an all-time low. We've got an administration that doesn't believe in global warming. We've got a "faith-based" community that actively, and gleefully demonstrates a complete disdain for the immutable laws of science.
THAT, you should be ashamed of. Not SA. They need to do more to defend their field against the fallacies of the righteous. It's not bigotry...it's common sense and I hope this is only the beginning.
mrC