# Science is not a Panacea **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 26, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021 "2014-04-26T04:29:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/1 "2014-04-26T04:29:19Z")
I’ve always had a problem with most Skeptics’ viewpoints but could never properly express my attitude until now. I recently watched “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and can now put my perspective into words. The reason I don’t like Skeptics (or anyone claiming to have a skeptic’s philosophy) is because I equate Skepticism with Nazism. I know that such a comparison will most likely blacklist me but allow me to explain… Skeptics have no problem doing anything to destroy any ideology that suggests Science might not have all the answers. Skeptics would burn books, destroy artifacts, even raze entire cities to promote their own agenda – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! Anything having to do with Astrology, Witchcraft, Zen, the Occult, and especially GOD or anything else Science cannot address or considers “bullshit” is on their Banishment List. If you claim you would never go to such extremes, you are lying to yourself. Even if you think you would never personally participate in such activities, you would not intervene in such activities from others. You would stand idly by, allowing such measures to go on, never defending the rights of individuals to believe what they want to believe, even if you disagree with such beliefs. Most skeptics would go to any length to wipe out any beliefs they don’t agree with – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! “I’m not Jewish so I don’t have any problem with them hauling away Jews.” “I’m not a Gypsy so I don’t have any problem with them hauling away Gypsies.” “I don’t believe in Astrology so I don’t have any problem with them hauling away Astrologers.” “I don’t believe in God so I don’t have any problem with them hauling away anyone who believes in God.” If Science is so secure in its position of “superiority”, what do you have to fear from anyone who might think Science isn’t a panacea?! If Science is truly THE TRUTH, why can’t you just let anyone come to their own conclusions instead of trying to force your own value system down their throats? If Science ultimately has all the answers, people will (eventually) arrive at that same conclusion. But I don’t think it does, at least not in its current understanding. If you think people are “ignorant” for believing in such “nonsense”, you are no different than the Nazis. Live and let live. Allow people to arrive at their own conclusions, even if you don’t agree with them. Simply because someone may not agree with Science doesn’t mean they are ignorant! It simply means they are questioning this world, which, as I understand it is the whole point of Science. I love Science and I love Technology. But I believe there is far more to this Universe than what Science can explain. And if you call me ignorant, you are a Nazi. SIEG HEIL!! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/2 "2014-04-26T04:45:45Z")
I’m a scientist, and I have no desire to ban or burn any books. Am I a liar? Science is the best we method we know to understand the natural world. It does not, however, inform us on how we should treat each other. It does not “have all the answers”. ETA: _Indiana Jones_ is a work of fiction, not a documentary. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/3 "2014-04-26T04:53:47Z")
I hardly know where to begin (and I expect there will be a few replies in the time it takes me to write this one). But just for a start… > [@MoreThanScience](#): > > Skeptics have no problem doing anything to destroy any ideology that suggests Science might not have all the answers. > Skeptics would burn books, destroy artifacts, even raze entire cities to promote their own agenda – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! > Anything having to do with Astrology, Witchcraft, Zen, the Occult, and especially GOD or anything else Science cannot address or considers “bullshit” is on their Banishment List. > If you claim you would never go to such extremes, you are lying to yourself. I would never go to such extremes, and I don’t know anyone who would. I don’t believe in astrology, and a few others on your list, but I’m not trying to stamp it out. I don’t want to subsidize it, have it taught in schools, or see it used to set public policy, but I haven’t done so much as deface one book, much less destroy artifacts or raze cities. That you think such things would be commonplace or inevitable is wrong and insulting. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/4 "2014-04-26T04:56:40Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I hardly know where to begin (and I expect there will be a few replies in the time it takes me to write this one). But just for a start…I would never go to such extremes, and I don’t know anyone who would. I don’t believe in astrology, and a few others on your list, but I’m not trying to stamp it out. I don’t want to subsidize it, have it taught in schools, or see it used to set public policy, but I haven’t done so much as deface one book, much less destroy artifacts or raze cities. That you think such things would be commonplace or inevitable is wrong and insulting. Yeah, but what about _Indiana Jones_? Does that make you stop and think? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/5 "2014-04-26T05:05:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, but what about _Indiana Jones_? Does that make you stop and think? Yeah, it makes me think “why is it with the _Star Trek_ movies it’s the even ones that are good, but for _Indiana Jones_ it’s the odd ones that rock?” Science does not provide the answer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/6 "2014-04-26T05:07:58Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yeah, it makes me think “why is it with the _Star Trek_ movies it’s the even ones that are good, but for _Indiana Jones_ it’s the odd ones that rock?” Those are dangerous thoughts. If I could, I would ban them. ---
**Author:** ![Itself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/7 "2014-04-26T05:18:48Z")
> [@MoreThanScience](#): > > But I don’t think it does, at least not in its current understanding. > If you think people are “ignorant” for believing in such “nonsense”, you are no different than the Nazis. I know, right? I hate it when someone complains about a celebrity who claims that vaccines cause autism, or expresses less than absolute certainty about Deepak Chopra’s claim to fight cancer with quantum mysticism, or considers astrology to be slightly less accurate than a broken Magic 8-Ball. That person is _exactly_ as bad a fascist dictator who started a world war and systematically murdered millions of people. I love capitalized Science too, but I think the scientific method is a poor way of understanding the universe, and that scientific knowledge is no better than just guessing, and that scientists are amoral, zealous crackpots who want to destroy the world. But I still love Science. Then again, it’s been years since I saw _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_, so I could easily be mistaken. This is a parody, right? It’s hard to tell sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/8 "2014-04-26T05:18:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Those are dangerous thoughts. If I could, I would ban them. John Mace has just declared war on numbers. I am a witness! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/9 "2014-04-26T05:22:19Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > John Mace has just declared war on numbers. It’s because he voted Republican in the last election! Yes, it’s due to Romney! Anyway, the OP is utter nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/10 "2014-04-26T05:22:56Z")
How do you feel about paragraphs? Nazis used paragraphs. Does that make them bad? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/11 "2014-04-26T05:28:09Z")
The OP’s argument is so patently ridiculous that it verges on trolling, IMO, but just in case he’s on the level: > [@MoreThanScience](#): > > Anything having to do with Astrology, Witchcraft, Zen, the Occult, and especially GOD or anything else Science cannot address or considers “bullshit” is on their Banishment List. If those things are on a so-called banishment list, why are they still around? Hell, why are they all so _popular_? Must be a pretty shit “banishment” program, mustn’t it? Please, tell me, what **exactly** is “Science” doing to “banish” these things? Be specific. > [@](#): > > If you think people are “ignorant” for believing in such “nonsense”, you are no different than the Nazis. Yeah. 'Cos that’s what everyone remembers the Nazi’s for. Calling people ignorant :rolleyes: Question: If my calling you ignorant makes me a Nazi, what does your calling me a Nazi make you? A Decepticon? > [@](#): > > If Science is truly THE TRUTH, why can’t you just let anyone come to their own conclusions instead of trying to force your own value system down their throats? Dude, that’s pretty much exactly what we’ve got going on right now. No-one’s forcing you to believe shit. You’re perfectly free to be as ignorant as you want. The fact that, occasionally, someone may point out your ignorance doesn’t mean you’re being “oppressed”. Freedom of belief doesn’t equal freedom from criticism. > [@](#): > > Skeptics would burn books, **destroy artifacts** , even raze entire cities to promote their own agenda – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! Bolding mine. You know who’d disagree with that more than anyone, particularly the bolder bit? _INDIANA JONES!_ Jesus, what a thread… ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/12 "2014-04-26T05:30:07Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > It’s because he voted Republican in the last election! You know who else voted Republican in the last election, don’t you? Yeah, that’s right. Galileo. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/13 "2014-04-26T05:31:04Z")
> [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > You know who else voted Republican in the last election, don’t you? > > Yeah, that’s right. > > Galileo. Oh. So that’s why Cosmos used Giordano Bruno as an example instead! ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/14 "2014-04-26T05:58:43Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > How do you feel about paragraphs? > Nazis used paragraphs. Does that make them bad? And Hitler liked dogs. Do you like dogs, **John Mace**? ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/15 "2014-04-26T06:17:07Z")
I don’t know. You will all have to admit that when Dawkins went and carpet-bombed Beirut, that was pretty extreme. And when James Randi gathered all those Raëlians in put them in death camps. That was really bad. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/16 "2014-04-26T06:24:41Z")
That’s nothing compared to Edison burning Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/17 "2014-04-26T06:29:08Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > That’s nothing compared to Edison burning Atlanta. That wasn’t out of skepticism. Edison was just a mean guy. ---
**Author:** ![Oldeb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@Oldeb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldeb)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/18 "2014-04-26T06:44:52Z")
> [@MoreThanScience](#): > > “I don’t believe in Astrology so I don’t have any problem with them hauling away Astrologers.” Meh, everyone knows astrology is fake. But I weep for Miss Cleo trapped even now in an attic, waiting for the day she’ll be free to step outside again. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/19 "2014-04-26T06:45:20Z")
> [@MoreThanScience](#): > > Skeptics would burn books, destroy artifacts, even raze entire cities to promote their own agenda – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! […] > Most skeptics would go to any length to wipe out any beliefs they don’t agree with – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! […] > If you think people are “ignorant” for believing in such “nonsense”, you are no different than the Nazis. […] > Live and let live. > And if you call me ignorant, you are a Nazi. > SIEG HEIL!! Err…congrats on tying the world record for Godwinizing a discussion, I guess. //rolleyes// ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/20 "2014-04-26T06:50:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, but what about _Indiana Jones_? Does that make you stop and think? Hey, at least the guy gave a cite. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021.md?page=2)