ext_242822 ([identity profile] essentialsaltes.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] essentialsaltes 2014-02-06 02:29 pm (UTC)

But the more exposure they get to real scientists, The better chance they have of breaking free.

We would hope they would get that exposure in school, but obviously people are acting to eliminate or actively subvert science education.

A lot of people think Nye should not have debated Ham. That it gives creationism more recognition than it deserves. I understand the point, but I disagree, particularly since Nye is not actually a working scientist, and not a biologist. Yet he still has name recognition as a popularizer and educator of science. He's a celebrity. In that sense, I think this particular event was far better than if a biologist debated a creationist. Obviously, science is not settled by debate, and there is clearly no 'debate' within the scientific community on evolution. So if it can be framed as more of a stunt, or celebrity stunt-casting, it's a win for science.

Especially since the sad truth is that roughly half of Americans reject evolution at some level. They have been brainwashed and lied to. All they've ever heard about evolution came from a hostile pastor. This event may be some of the only exposure to what scientists actually think that they've received.

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