Framing Science
Category archives for Framing Science
A challenge to my readers and fellow science bloggers!
Posted by Greg Laden on December 3, 2010 Many months ago, the fossil primate “Ida” was reported to the world with much fanfare, including an entire mass market book and a huge press conference, and everything else one can possibly do to announce a new fossil find. Science bloggers and others got rather upset at the Ida team’s over the top fanfare, though…
I might or might not be a science journalist
Posted by Greg Laden on June 9, 2010 One of the great things about Coturnix is that he brings two context-broadening tools to the table in any discussion: Synchronic and diachronic. In a recent post (Am I a Science Journalist? he adds the diachronic. I had not previously realized or considered (or at lest, not thought it relevant) that early science journalists were…
What if “Boob Quake” had been …
Posted by Greg Laden on May 3, 2010 “Dick Shake”
Framing the Pacific Garbage Patch
Posted by Greg Laden on April 1, 2010 Various environmental organizations have been using imagery of dead baby birds with toothbrushes in their guts and solid floating masses of garbage to describe and raise alarm about what has become known as the North Pacific Central Garbage Patch. Yet, the small but important amount of research that has been done there shows that the…
Are the Skepchicks too sexy? (UPDATED)
Posted by Greg Laden on January 22, 2010 I recently posted an appeal to support the upcoming skeptical track at the Minneapolis CONvergence organized by The Skepchicks, a group of hip female skeptical activists and some guys. The first comment on that post was a stern admonition that one might not want to support “understanding of science and scepticism” by donating to this…
#scio10 Science Online 2010 recollections and reflections on the sessions I attended
Posted by Greg Laden on January 18, 2010 Last weekend I attended Science Online 2010, which is a conference of science communicators with a heavy mix of bloggers, many journalists and others from the print industry, an increasingly large number of book authors, and OpenX (X=access, notebook, science, or whatever) advocates and practitioners.
Unscientific America by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum: A review.
Posted by Greg Laden on January 13, 2010 Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum tries to make several different points. The central framework of the book, on which all the arguments are hung, is that science has a status, a place, in American culture, politics, and economy, and that this status has changed over time.…
What is Wrong with the American System of Education?
Posted by Greg Laden on October 15, 2009 Roughly half of the people in the United States reject one or more fundamental tenets of science (most commonly evolution), while a larger percent, perhaps more than 80 percent depending on how we measure, would fail a basic science test. A strong majority of those American citizens who would claim to have strong feelings about…
Glendon Mellow Arts Blog (must see)
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Glendon Mellow has been blogging his art for some time, at The Flying Trilobite. But lately he “arted his blog” in the sense that he made a picture based on a statement which he had made in response to a bunch of blog posts. “…. accommodation of religion is akin to letting someone take your…
Unscientific America Related Items
Posted by Greg Laden on July 13, 2009 I was sick Sunday, and I’m a bit off today, so everything is 36 to 48 hours off. So, my review of Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future will be delayed. In the mean time you can have a look at these items: 1) An interesting post by David Dobbs places the current…
More reading on the Neoatheisticaccomodationism schism.
Posted by Greg Laden on July 10, 2009 Lousy Canuck has ramped up the metaphor with Two boats tethered together on a lake as his method of addressing the 1% solution. Also, there is now a very interesting post on Quiche Moraine regarding the Hollywood Case Study and the book Unscientific America. See also this at Pharyngula.
Accommodationists and New Atheists Sail in the Same Boat
Posted by Greg Laden on July 9, 2009 … In which I narrow the gulf between two allied factions enough that with a running start you can jump across … maybe.
Are the “new atheists” not civil enough?
Posted by Greg Laden on June 4, 2009 There is an interesting post on The Intersection called Civility and the New Atheists, by Chris Mooney. In the post, Chris reviews Barbara Forrest’s statements that in engaging int he cross-world-view debate (scientists vs. creationists, atheists, vs religion, etc.) one should maintian etiquette, respect and understand diversity, and practice humility. Atheist and pro-science writer Mooney…
Don’t be such a scientist
Posted by Greg Laden on May 30, 2009 Randy Olson is a film maker and marine biologist who has focused in recent years on the critique of science communication. You may know him from his documentary work on the sexual practices of barnacles, the evolution-creation debate, or global warming. Randy is coming out with a new book, Don’t Be Such a Scientist: Talking…
Richard Dawkins: Unethical?
Posted by Greg Laden on March 30, 2009 Dawkins, for example, argues as a scientist that religion is comparable to a mental virus or “meme” that can be explained through evolution, that religious believers are delusional, and that in contrast, atheists are representative of a healthy, independent, and pro-science mind. In making these claims, not only does Dawkins use his authority as the…
First it was bear paternity tests, now it is volcano monitoring
Posted by Greg Laden on February 25, 2009 When will the madness end? When the Republicans dry up and blow away, of course. In the Republican response to Obama’s State of the Union 2.0 address, by Bobby Jindal, governer of Louisiana, we heard this: “Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, D.C.,” The reason…
Expelled! Induced Conversations and the Future of Science, Medicine and Hollywood
Posted by Greg Laden on April 23, 2008 Despite the fact that the producers of Expelled! have the most nefarious of motives in mind, and that we can expect more from them (we are waiting for the other shoe to drop), it is interesting to note how many conversations this documentary about Intelligent Design Creationism has sparked. Ultimately, the intended purpose of Expelled!…
Saving Science from Creationists and Framers: In support of a diligent, relentless critique
Posted by Greg Laden on March 26, 2008 When you get a chance (not right now) have a look at this video. This is a piece done by Brian Rooney, a professional TV journalist with ABC News Nightline. He follows around Billy Jack and Rusty Carter, two young earth creationists who are leading a school group through the Denver Museum of Nature and…
The Comic Guide to the Expelled Scienceblogs Kerfuffle
Posted by Greg Laden on March 24, 2008 Click the pretty boys for more.
The Framing Critique (Dawkins-Myers-Expelled!-Gate)
Posted by Greg Laden on March 24, 2008 Here is an updated set of links to postings on the critique of Myers and Dawkins’ response to Myers-Dawkins-Expelled!-Gate. The point of these links is to provide quick access to the critiques coming from The Intersection and Framing Science blogs, and responses to them. I’m not going to keep updating this entry, so if you…
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