Reality Bites Back...

That’s where this story breaks down. We are stuck in this “us or them” cycle that is directly tied to these opposing world views, one that sees progress toward a sustainable and just future as the work of rational discussion and action, and one that sees progress as aiming toward a religious goal that will usher in a one god utopia.

Wither Rational Discourse?

Reality-based blogger RDF laments the seemingly inexorable deterioration of rational discourse in this county, not just in the government and mass media but across the spectrum, all the way down into day to day personal interactions.  The problem is very real, and there are no easy solutions.

Enlightenment empiricism, i.e. the reality-based community, has to take an active role in reversing this backward slide.  We have to stand up and say no.  No -- not all opinions are of equal value.  No -- saying so doesn't make it true.  No -- finding a single scientist who disagrees does not cast doubt over an entire field.  No -- untestable assertions are not a sound basis for public policy.  No -- science is not just another religion.  No -- manufactured fear, doubt or outrage are not substitutes for argument.  And no -- shutting off my mike isn't either.

This is a political battle, and it will require finding allies and making alliances.  It's heartening to see, when the reality-based world view was openly challenged, how many have rallied to that banner.  Is equally disheartening to realize how large the forces of unreason have become in this country, and how tightly they control our public forums.  Wresting enough of that control back to have our voices heard is the first critical phase in what promises to be a long struggle.

- jack*

Comments

[alyosha]

There is a subject called "Critical Thinking" which used to be taught in college english/rhetoric classes - it's been decades since I was in college, so I don't know what is taught now. I even have a book about this, suitable for college level instruction. We need this more than ever.

Otherwise, as someone posted elsewhere, "I'm really going to miss the Enlightenment".