Mayor Bloomberg, Commencement Speaker, Johns Hopkins
Mayor Bloomberg coined a new phrase to describe those whose loves include intelligent design and the denial of climate change:Each one of you has had two important principles deeply embedded in you through your association with this amazing institution: An unwavering allegiance to the power of science and a profound commitment to use that power to help people. And this is a good thing, because now more than ever, these two fundamental concepts are being ignored, or are under attack.
Today, we are seeing hundreds of years of scientific discovery being challenged by people who simply disregard facts that don't happen to agree with their agendas. Some call it 'pseudo-science,' others call it 'faith-based science,' but when you notice where this negligence tends to take place, you might as well call it 'political science.'
You can see 'political science' at work when it comes to global warming. Despite near unanimity in the science community there's now a movement - driven by ideology and short-term economics - to ignore the evidence and discredit the reality of climate change.
You can see 'political science' at work with respect to stem cell research. Despite its potential, the federal government has restricted funding for creating new cell lines - putting the burden of any future research squarely on the shoulders of the private sector. Government's most basic responsibility, however, is the health and welfare of its people, so it has a duty to encourage appropriate scientific investigations that could possibly save the lives of millions.
'Political science' knows no limits. Was there anything more inappropriate than watching political science try to override medical science in the Terry Schiavo case?
And it boggles the mind that nearly two centuries after Darwin, and 80 years after John Scopes was put on trial, this country is still debating the validity of evolution. In Kansas, Mississippi, and elsewhere, school districts are now proposing to teach 'intelligent design' - which is really just creationism by another name - in science classes alongside evolution ... Hopkins' motto is Veritas vos liberabit - 'the truth shall set you free' - not that 'you shall be free to set the truth!' I've always wondered which science those legislators who create their own truths pick when their families need life-saving medical treatment."
contribute a comment
Comments have been closed for this post.
comments
I call it 'political science' when people ignore that fact that adult stem cells are doing everything that embryonic stem cells hope to one day accomplish; sooner, with fewer resources and without the logistical nightmare of egg procurement.
You will not get enough ova for anyone but the super wealthy to be treated. If this procedure is ever perfected you being condemning women in the third world to lives as egg farms.
I try to see how this will work and I don't see it. The evidence that has lead me to this conclusion has been from your blog.
- by Tannhauser on Jun 2, 2006 at 2:25 PM | link
"You can see 'political science' at work when it comes to global warming. Despite near unanimity in the science community there's now a movement - driven by ideology and short-term economics - to ignore the evidence and discredit the reality of climate change."
If the "movement" Bloomberg refers to is the recent release of statements by scientists decrying the one-sidedness of media reporting, he's off the mark. These scientists are hardly ignoring the evidence, they don't deny the reality of climate change, and it's pure ad hominem to accuse them of being motivated by short-term economics.
There is near unanimity that global warming is taking place and that carbon emissions are a contributing factor. There's nothing like unanimity about the degree to which human activity is responsible for observed warming. And there's nothing like unanimity about dire predictions of environmental catasprophe.
For Bloomberg, a dyed in the wool politician, to accuse others of using science for political ends should be recognized for the bad joke it is.
- by on Jun 3, 2006 at 12:13 PM | link
It never ceases to amaze me how all the commenters on this blog tend to be right wingers who's ideology determines their stances on scientific issues. I'm willing to bet neither "Anonymous" or Tannhauser work in Biology, climatology, physics or chemistry.
- by stroodle on Jun 4, 2006 at 12:37 PM | link
It isn't science that Bloomberg is talking when he says "Government's most basic responsibility, however, is the health and welfare of its people, so it has a duty to encourage appropriate scientific investigations that could possibly save the lives of millions."
That's just politics. We don't ask science to answer political questions. Science can't tell us what government's responsibilities are, or about duties, or even what "appropriate" scientific investigations might be. Bloomberg, and those who think they agree with him, are just confused.
- by Thomas on Jun 4, 2006 at 6:03 PM | link
As a Political Scientist, of the real "we have an academic field and academic departments and academic journals devoted to the subject of political science" variety, I can only take slight offense at Mayor Bloomberg's comments.
I suppose I should've majored in something "really real" like Critical Studies.
- by Sara on Jun 4, 2006 at 7:53 PM | link
stroodle - I'm not sure why my comment was posted "anonymously" since, per usual, I used my real name and email address.
You presume far too much when you lump me with "right wingers who's ideology determines their stances on scientific issues." I'm not a right winger (think anarchist), and I'm afraid you have zero evidence for your claim that ideology determines my stance on scientific issues, since in my comment I didn't take a stand on any scientific issue.
I suggest that you take a course in critical thinking. See? I'm enough of an optimist to think you might be educable.
- by Bob Koepp on Jun 5, 2006 at 1:14 PM | link
Bob, thought about the issue is harder to stimulate than prejudice about persons or groups of persons, at least in the short term. Hopefully stroodle, Bloomberg and all the rest of us will find it harder to maintain prejudice in the long term.
Wouldn't it have been refreshing if Bloomberg had managed not to turn graduation into a political moment?
- by Beverly on Jun 9, 2006 at 12:35 PM | link