You just provided all the proof you need. You formed an opinion and you are now looking for evidence to back it up. You could have read the book and then formed an opinion.

Some are willing to let their opinion change when the evidence is against them.

And some still believe the Earth is flat, and is the center of the universe.

TJ,

I had a pre-existing opinion before I read this thread or your post based on my acquaintance with numerous scientists and non-science types. I've never seen any survey data or information that supports or refutes the statement you wrote and posted. You could have done us a favor and provided some brief indication that the book supports your statement, if that's what you intended. The structure of your post and its description as a "real good book" doesn't draw me toward reading the book.

Sg

Let's answer that with the same question........Do you know of any departments who have presented biased science reports?

Slab,

Depending on the subject material and report, some science reports undergo policy and legal review before being issued. IMO any report that has been edited for policy or legal reasons may no longer be a science report, depending on what was edited and how. That doesn't make the scientist biased or lacking in objectivity. It becomes an agency report with multiple authors, some scientists and some not. If you want the objective report you need to obtain the draft technical report, before the policy and legal wonks review and edit it, if there's reason to doubt. However, for those kinds of issues, the draft is FOIA exempt because it's pre-decisional. However, none of this means the scientist who wrote the draft isn't objective in his/her analysis, although it's always possible. For example, scientists employed by tobacco companies and purveyors of manufactured food products manage to produce conclusions that no one on the payroll agrees with or considers objective. My point is that I had a pre-existing opinion that scientists tend to view almost everything more objectively than non-scientists. While that by no means covers all scientists, it's applicable to the majority of the ones I know best.

Sg

Perfect...here are some actual climate scientists...not lawyers, not lobbyists, and definitely not blowhard right wing nutjobs on a fishing bulletin board...

Not only that...but they're funnier than the non-scientists



Fish on...

Todd

Just keeping with the objective aspect......

Salmo,

Intelligence is usually not a factor in belief with one exception once people commit to a belief the smarter they are the better they are at rationalizing those beliefs. People are people and we all basically function in the same way biologically ,there are evolutionary reasons we form beliefs the way we do. Shermer the author and publisher of the Skeptic here is a brief explanation http://www.skeptic.com/about_us/

TJ,

Good link. Thanks. It's been decades since studying Descartes.

The conclusion "I am therefore I think" is disturbing. What do we call these many, many human-appearing animals who've never formulated a cognitive thought in their life?

Sg

No quibble about rights Aunty, and this isn't about rights. It began with the Justices understanding and interpreting science, to objectivity and who has it, and then to the ability to think. My slightly sarcastic remark is about the many whose thought process appears to be one of connecting the dots randomly rather than systematically.

Sg

An idiot with full Constitutional rights is still an idiot. And the fact that some of them may give their lives to protect my rights doesn't have a f'n thing to do with it.

"many whose thought process appears to be one of connecting the dots randomly rather than systematically."

That’s your opinion and your via observations, relationships etc you select out what you need reinforce your opinion. Truth be told your mechanic connect the dots more systematically re repairing your car than you can and he may even score as low grade moron on an IQ test.

I try to treat everyone decently, including idiots and Republicans...........but I repeat myself.

TJ,

Uhm, yes; everything I write that isn't verified by another might just be my opinion, but that doesn't make it wrong - or right. Speaking of car repair, I just had mine serviced, and the mechanic, who doesn't have a college degree, ain't likely a moron. It seems like this is getting to be some serious thread drift.

Aunty,

I don't recall anyone saying anything about not treating everyone with decency. Again, you're drifting toward a different topic. Should we begin a new thread?

Sg