Émilie du Chatelet

Politics is separate from science. That doesn't mean that politics is important. It does mean that you shouldn't reject scientific results just because they go against your politics.

Science is based on experiment, the result you get is the result whether it fits your ideological beliefs or not. A scientist will accept the results even when they go against pre-existing beliefs. That is the strength of science.

Science can't answer questions about what we should do. Science is silent about moral values, or societal goals. This is an area for politicians or philosophers or priests.

Science is the final authority on scientific questions. When we are asking whether GM foods have more risk than conventional foods, that is a question that can be answered by experiment. and the facts are the facts.

Izzy accepts the science on Global Warming. He accepts the science on Covid. These are scientific findings that support his ideological narrative. But he doesn't accept science when it conflicts with this politics. And if political ideology is the basis for his beliefs about facts... then science is a waste of time for him. He will arrive at the same conclusions without having to actually question the facts.

I object to the idea that Americans reject science more than Europeans do. That is what started this tangent.

Izzy has made my point nicely. People in both places reject science when they go against pre-existing ideological beliefs. Europeans burning down 5G towers are no less crazy than Americans who refuse to wear masks.

Science is most valuable when it challenges popular beliefs.

How do we decide who is right.

Let’s count who gets the most thumbs up and who gets thumbs down.

Izzy wins! Democracy is great and always right!

I think you’re carrying over an argument from another thread.

It seems fairly obvious that handing a monopoly to one company over what could be the future global food supply is folly in the extreme.

No individual or organisation has never held that much power.

Nolo contendere.
Obviously, you are right.

And yes, Emilie was a fine lady.