[ RadSafe ] Drawing the line between science and pseudo-science. (was Rational Thought)

[John Gerald Center, Jr]

I agree with your diagreement.  I said that they could exist together- not they they did.  The pseudo-scientists practice a religion of their own trying to thwart actual science and generally not for the betterment of mankind.  Scare tactics to get and/or maintain power and influence just like the religious leaders of history.  When religion or any dogma is used to maintain the status quo or force backwards steps, science and advancement in general suffer.  Usually a small minority trying to take advantage of majority of uninformed/unknowledgable people with false or skewed beliefs and reasoning.  

John

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Demetrios Okkalides" <od at tlmq.com>
> To: "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList" <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, October 6, 2011 9:34:54 AM
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Drawing the linebetween scienceandpseudo-science. (was Rational Thought)
> I am afraid I have to disagree. Science and dogma are exact opposites.
> Science did flourish in the ancient world, perhaps more than we can
> know,
> and it was stamped out of the civilised society of the time for 15
> centuries
> by the advancing religion, Christianity . It is still clearly
> documented
> that the spherical shape of the earth (Ptolemaios & Eratosthenes) and
> the
> sun centred planet system (aristarxos) were common knowledge by 100
> BC.
> Despite this, it is on these same issues that scientists of the
> renaissance
> were threatened by the Church who proclaimed the opposite based on a
> "holy
> book".
> 
> Our contemporary progress in science and engineering and the fruits of
> both
> are by no means guaranteed for ever. If you look in the new age sites,
> the
> religious apocalyptic trends, the "go back to innocence" green
> illusions,
> the phobic reactions of western societies to new technologies, you
> might get
> a glimpse of a looming new dark ages era. This will not go away on its
> own.
> Reason must be actively defended, not left to fight for itself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Demetrios
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Gerald Center, Jr" <john.center at wmich.edu>
> To: "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing
> List"
> <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 1:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Drawing the linebetween
> scienceandpseudo-science.
> (was Rational Thought)
> 
> 
> > What is left from Christianity? Moral guidelines, the strength to be
> > more
> > than our animal instincts, to use science and reason to the
> > betterment of
> > mankind. I don't think science and Christianity (or any or religion)
> > has
> > to be one or the other. They can coexist. Science to figure out how
> > the
> > natural world works and religion to use that knowledge for
> > everyone's
> > benefit.
> >
> > Believer in God and gravity (an actual force of attraction and not
> > that we
> > stay here just because the world sucks),
> >
> > John

-- 
John G. Center, Jr.
Radiation Safety Officer
3922 Wood Hall
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI  49008-5410

Office (269) 387-5933
Cell  (269) 744-0996
E-mail: john.center at wmich.edu
Fax  (269) 387-5888