
Peter Thiel funds a science publication questioning evolution and climate change - dankohn1
https://qz.com/1537150/peter-thiel-is-funding-a-science-publication-questioning-evolution-and-climate-change/
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deogeo
Sure, lets question climate change. Until it is conclusively proven not a
threat, assume the worst case predictions and act accordingly. Faced with an
unknown threat, anything else would be irresponsible. Uncertainty and doubt
cut both ways.

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crowdpleaser
Let it continue to 'cut both ways' \- should we apply the logic of 'assume
worst case predictions and act accordingly' to all that ails society?

The worst case predictions of muslim immigration into Europe are pretty bad,
should the E.U seal the turkish border and Med ports with the gusto they
hereunto reserved for greenhouse gas reductions?

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wkearney99
Going to be pretty interesting if/when there's enough climate disruption to
force those in the north to migrate southward. How would that fit into your
'logic'?

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crowdpleaser
Castle Europe. Keep the enemies outside and put everything inside in bubble
wrap.

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rednerrus
What is the issue with questioning these things? Isn't that how science works?

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smacktoward
_> One article about a biomolecular research laboratory was written by a
tennis instructor._

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oskkejdjdkjd
Freeman dyson, who is one of the smartest human beings ever to live, questions
evolution and climate change. On climate change, I don’t think he opposes
being proactive — he just disagrees about the completeness of the evidence. He
also has an unconventional opinion about nuclear war: that it’s not a very big
deal.

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SpikeDad
Sorry but you can't be one of the smartest human beings alive if you question
settled science like evolution and climate change.

Being smart isn't just thinking of new stuff. It also includes understanding
the world and it's proven qualities, properties and processes.

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erikpukinskis
Intelligence is context specific. Find me a person who you think is
intelligent, I can find a situation in which they will act like an idiot.

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noneeeed
A great example would be Linus Pauling, who later on in his career became a
proponent of mega-doses of vitamin C as a cure for all sorts of stuff,
including cancer. He remained obsessed with the idea in the face of repeated
studies that have shown it's no better than a placebo (in fact mega-dosing may
even increase your risk of some cancers).

History is full of really smart people believing some pretty stupid things,
especially in areas outside of their area of expertise. We have a very one-
dimensional view of intelligence that assumes that because someone is smart
(or even a genius) in one way, or knowledgeable about one area, that this must
automatically apply to every facet of intelligence or knowledge.

Smart people are still people, with all the same biases, preconceptions, ego
and other human frailties.

For some reason some physicists in particular seem very prone to
underestimating the complexity of other branches of science, and over-
estimating the applicability of their ways of working to them, especially the
biological sciences which are full of complex systems that often turn out to
react in unexpected ways.

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oskkejdjdkjd
So we are supposed to dismiss dysons conclusions because he’s a genius? That
is the most astounding contortion of logic I have ever seen. If you disagree
with him, then go find out the logic he uses to justify his conclusions and
discuss _that_.

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noneeeed
Absolutely not. In fact I think Dyson is definitely worth listening to.
Obviously I didn't explain myself clearly enough.

The point of my comment was that just because someone is a genius, does not
automatically make them right. The fact that Linua Pauling was very wrong
about vitamin C mega-dosing doesn't stop him from being one of the greatest
scientists of the 20th century, and someone who was right about an awful lot
of things.

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erikpukinskis
I wrote script that generates publications that cover "all sides" of every
issue:

    
    
        setInterval(function() {
          document.write(randomLetters()+" ")
        }, 1000)
    
        function randomLetters() {
          var wordSize = Math.ceil(Math.random()*20)
          var letters = Math.random().toString(36).replace(/[^a-z]/g, "")
          return letters.slice(0, wordSize)
        }

