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Date: | Fri, 5 Jan 2007 12:51:09 +0000 |
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ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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At 21:26 03/01/2007, Amanda Chesworth replied:
> > It seems that a key issue, in this ASTC-L discussion and in the
> > Darwin-wars outside, is the failure of science communicators to agree
> > whether science is atheistic or agnostic.
>
>I prefer the descriptive word "oblivious".
I'm not enough of a philosopher to be certain if science is atheistic
or agnostic (though it beats me how an atheistic science could claim
absence of evidence for something it cannot define). But if T H
Huxley was right and science is agnostic, the public should be told
because it would greatly help matters.
"Oblivious" is a fair description of the pure process of science in
relation to religion, where proper boundaries are maintained.
But "oblivious" is a poor qualification for science's public
representatives, who are expected to communicate sensitively with a
diversity of target audiences.
Oblivious: "not aware of what is happening around one" (Compact
Oxford English Dictionary).
What is happening is a public-relations disaster for science.
Anti-science activists have been allowed to seize the high moral
ground by misrepresenting religion, while Darwin's latest 'bulldogs'
are publicly seen attacking sheep instead of standing against these wolves.
[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
*
Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell
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