I have long held concerns about Skepticism,as opposed to scepticism.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/dear-skeptics-bash-homeopathy-and-bigfoot-less-mammograms-and-war-more/
This blogger hits the nail on the head;so much skepticism is about attacking antitribu.I left TED when Rupert Sheldrake's TEDWhitechapel talk on the dogmas and paradigms of scientific theory was banned for no clear reason . It is an excellent and interesting talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKHUaNAxsTg
There was huge protest on the TED forums regarding the ban. In response came insinuations that Rupert Sheldrake's scientific credentials were less than sound, a claim very quickly and loudly refuted. It was demonstrably untrue, but the accusation was on par with every other reason given. What we learned was that on certain scientific matters, Tedheadbod Chris Anderson turns to a panel of 'experts' whose identities are kept as confidential as possible, but it does seem that militant skeptics like - and we were led to believe, perhaps specifically - Jerry Coyne hold a considerable amount of sway. Coyne's skepticism is far more famous than his science, his anti-theism as fanatical as any evangelist. Arguments raged back and forth, and all that really emerged was TED's commitment to a skeptical world-view, even to the point of censorship and defamation of character. When science can only be accepted on the terms of its followers, it isn't science any more; and the Scientific American blog demonstrates ways in which Skepticism is no more consistent or self-examining than any other belief system. It is Religion as in one assumed root of the word, Religare, meaning 'To tie,' and its function ceases to be discovery and becomes one of binding believers.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/dear-skeptics-bash-homeopathy-and-bigfoot-less-mammograms-and-war-more/
This blogger hits the nail on the head;so much skepticism is about attacking antitribu.I left TED when Rupert Sheldrake's TEDWhitechapel talk on the dogmas and paradigms of scientific theory was banned for no clear reason . It is an excellent and interesting talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKHUaNAxsTg
There was huge protest on the TED forums regarding the ban. In response came insinuations that Rupert Sheldrake's scientific credentials were less than sound, a claim very quickly and loudly refuted. It was demonstrably untrue, but the accusation was on par with every other reason given. What we learned was that on certain scientific matters, Tedheadbod Chris Anderson turns to a panel of 'experts' whose identities are kept as confidential as possible, but it does seem that militant skeptics like - and we were led to believe, perhaps specifically - Jerry Coyne hold a considerable amount of sway. Coyne's skepticism is far more famous than his science, his anti-theism as fanatical as any evangelist. Arguments raged back and forth, and all that really emerged was TED's commitment to a skeptical world-view, even to the point of censorship and defamation of character. When science can only be accepted on the terms of its followers, it isn't science any more; and the Scientific American blog demonstrates ways in which Skepticism is no more consistent or self-examining than any other belief system. It is Religion as in one assumed root of the word, Religare, meaning 'To tie,' and its function ceases to be discovery and becomes one of binding believers.