Gallagher discussion elsewhere

Just wanted to point y'all to PZ's post on Gallagher's editorial (as he notes, he's much less generous than I am) and make a few clarifications:

1) Gallagher didn't coin the term "spiritual left;" that's lifted from Silver's book. I know many of the comments strongly disagreed with that term, and to be fair, it's not of his invention.

2) I understand that most of the examples Gallagher mentioned are present on all sides of the political spectrum. I agree that the right has more political clout and funding, and I disagree with Gallagher with his statement that the left is a bigger threat to science. That doesn't excuse those on the left who are using, and promoting, bad science.

3) I understand there are real scientific controversies about GM food, drugs by pharmaceutical companies, etc. I'm not writing those off, nor am I universally defending things like GM food and various gdrugs as inherently "good." But most of the arguments I hear and read from those who argue against various drugs, or vaccines, etc. are based on a whole lot of conspiracy theory and very little (if any) science.

More like this

In my last post, I mentioned Richard Gallagher's piece in The Scientist,
Check out this photograph. It's Bush meeting with a truly odious collection of sycophants and lickspittles: Sean Hannity, Michael Medved, Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, and Michael Gallagher.
Dale Carpenter, one of the most articulate defenders of gay marriage, is guest-blogging at the Volokh Conspiracy this week, after gay marriage opponent Maggie Gallagher blogged there a couple weeks ago.
Since Katie is trying to turn this into a football blog (don't mock it!

Grugs are not inherently good?!? [gasp!]

Come on, now: have you ever seen a bad grug?

By Pierce R. Butler (not verified) on 25 Jul 2006 #permalink