Saturday, August 27, 2005
The Republican War on Science
That's why we were excited when we noticed a review of Chris Mooney's new book, The Republican War on Science in our old hometown paper.
[The latest example of this war was brought home to us tonight as we typed up this post. The ABC Evening News reported that the FDA -- which had previously announced that its decision on the morning after pill would be driven not by politics, but by the science -- would instead delay its ruling 60 days for public comment.]
The review of Mooney's book, by Eric Baerren, the Sun News editor observes:
One of the most obvious defects of modern journalism – well, the kind that most people are exposed to daily – is that it preaches objectivity, but practices something more akin to equal time for both sides...
Avoiding the appearance of taking sides when one side is full of crap rewards the outlandish and even crackpot, while punishing experts whose only sin is being part of the consensus majority...
In no other area will this be more damaging than in science-related issues. How we, as a nation, approach science will affect almost every facet of our lives – from public health, to more wisely protecting the environment, to competing for future foreign investment, and to – yes – national security.
That's what makes Chris Mooney's "The Republican War on Science“ such a valuable book.
