AMERICAN ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM IS SCIENTIFIC:

The Anti-Science Smear: Liberals embrace the rhetoric of science, but not its cautious and dispassionate reasoning. (Rich Lowry, 8/30/11, National Review)

In no sense that the ordinary person would understand the term is Rick Perry "anti-science." He hasn't criticized the scientific method, or sent the Texas Rangers to chase out from the state anyone in a white lab coat. In fact, the opposite. His website touts his Emerging Technology Fund as an effort to bring "the best scientists and researchers to Texas." The state has a booming health-care sector composed of people who presumably have a healthy appreciation for the dictates of science.

Perry's offenses against science consist of his statements on evolution and global warming, areas where "the science" is routinely used to try to force assent to far-reaching philosophical or policy judgments unsupported by the evidence.

Unless he has an interest in paleontology that has escaped everyone's notice to this point, Perry's somewhat doubtful take on evolution has more to do with a general impulse to preserve a role for God in creation than a careful evaluation of the work of, say, Stephen Jay Gould. Perry's attitude is in the American mainstream. According to Gallup, 40 percent of Americans think God created man in his present form, and 38 percent think man developed over millions of years with God guiding the process. Is three-quarters of the country potentially anti-science?

No, it's higher than that. Once you subtract those with no opinion and those who agree that God played no role in Evolution but who also believe in God (rendering that opinion unintelligible), you end up under 10%.

Posted by oj at September 1, 2011 6:54 AM
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