Politics and religion

In the current politico-religious climate of anti-science rhetoric, alternative facts and creationist nonsense, a few points require emphasizing.

Darwin’s theory of biological evolution is not some tenuous hypothesis. It is an accepted and validated scientific theory. Einstein’s theory of relativity, quantum theory and the big bang theory of cosmology are likewise beyond dispute. What do these over-arching theories have in common? They are all built on solid factual evidence, they make testable predictions and they are verifiable. The system is rigorous. All science operates this way.

Anti-science sentiment thrives among those who find its inescapable conclusions threatening to their make-believe worldview. Scientific literacy is essential to a functional democracy as well as the long-term survival of Homo sapiens. Religious, nationalistic and cultural-racial ideologies are destructive to global harmony and progress, because they are not evidence-based, i.e., are non-scientific. Science literacy is the responsibility of everyone. Bragging about not reading books is a symptom of Donald Trump syndrome, which is a condition of ignorance, self-absorption and reality disconnect.

Follow the path illuminated by science and humanity has a shot at survival. Continue to wallow in the muck of ignorance and parochial ideology and all bets are off.

Tim Beamer

Cheney