Confronting Anti-Science Views

https://tridontdental.com/tooth-extractions/ Carl Zimmer calls outs Blogging Heads and, to a lesser extent, The Huffington Post, for trafficking in anti-science “quackery.” Zimmer is arguably the best ambassador for science journalism, and I admire the stand he has taken (in ending his participation in Blogging Heads).

Order Ultram Online But the larger implications of his argument leaves me uneasy. He basically says that if a theory is willfully anti-science, then it shouldn’t be debated (or aired) in a serious forum. Here’s the problem with that: vaccine hysteria doesn’t go away if you ban Jim Carrey from The Huffington Post. (Just don’t give him a free pass; provide a counter.) Millions of people don’t stop believing in Adam & Eve if you ban creationists from Blogging Heads. (Just challenge them vigorously, especially about a 6,000 year old earth.)

I’m not suggesting there be equal opportunity for every fringe theory. Blogging Heads need not have a serious discussion on Bigfoot or UFO abductions. But if millions of god-fearing Americans take the bible literally and millions of MMR-fearing parents don’t innoculate their children, then I’m all for engaging their representatives in the media. How else are you going to reach some of these people?