Consensus proves nothing

Sue Lani Madsen was right about science not being consensus-based. Since I have been doing scientific research for over 50 years, it may be that I have seen more theory development than most people and hence more instances of single researchers being first verbally flogged for not being with the majority, then simply tolerated, and finally having their theory become the accepted one.

Anyone living in Spokane should know at least a little about the great floods that created the valley in which they now live. During the first third of the 20th century, the consensus was that there were no floods, the valley was caused by eons of slow erosion. One man, Harlen Bretz, was the denier. He claimed there had been several huge floods, bigger than any other flood anywhere on earth. For around 20 years, he was laughed at and scorned by other geologists. Finally, there was a breakthrough by another geologist that proved Bretz was right after all.

There are many, many examples of one man bucking the scientific consensus and later being proven right. I am not a global warming “denier,” but scientific “consensus” proves nothing!

Robert Bristow

Chewelah