Post to Sci-Am Thread About Aggressive Misinformation

Post to Scientific American thread about aggressive use of misinformation

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Replying to each ill-informed assertion in this thread piecemeal would be like trying to get rid of mosquitoes in a swamp by swatting each one individually. Not going to work.

There is a greater systemic malaise at work. It is a widespread lack of understanding of basic scientific method and its tremendous power.

A demonstrated understanding of scientific method should be part of school graduation requirements at every level, adjusted to the cognitive abilities at that level. For elementary school kids, there should be mandatory simple questions to test basic understanding of scientific method . For high schoolers, test questions, essays and an oral exam should be implemented. This should be done under proctored conditions. This is too important to allow for cheating. If understanding of scientific method is not demonstrated on several levels, no diploma.

For many jobs, a demonstrated understanding of scientific method should be made as important as having a valid driver's license. Otherwise, dangerous drivers will be allowed on the information superhighway in droves (which is what is going on right now).

There are many incidences in history of a very powerful individual forcibly imposing his/her wiser perspective on the masses. Sometimes force is all the masses can "hear." Some would say that there is no such thing as a benevolent dictator. I strongly disagree. Sometimes a benevolent dictator who is willing to use brute force is the best option. What was D-Day? It was a benevolent dictator (the Allies) using brute force to overwhelm an appallingly misinformed group of nations (the Axis).

With the internet as it is, we have given the keys to drive on the internet highway to a bunch of two-year-olds.

Egalitarianism has its limits. If you don't understand and use scientific method, and make use of the information it has provided, you are more stupid than if you do use scientific method. Sorry if this bothers you. Time to call a spade a spade. Deal with it.

All these pseudo-scientific people out there bringing our civilization down are like little kids playing dress-up. They call themselves "doctors" when they aren't, cite mickey mouse findings that are worthless, and so on. They are playing house, and people are taking them seriously. Not OK. They literally don't know what they are talking about. The danger is that they think they do know what they are talking about. Gentility and collegiality will not cut it when dealing with these loose cannons/canons.
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