# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/81 "2014-04-27T22:37:06Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > He’s pretty good at destroying archaeology sites. To be fair, it’s usually because _they_ are trying to destroy _him._ ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/82 "2014-04-28T00:11:18Z")
> [@MoreThanScience](#): > > 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. First, you have the right for your own opinion, but not the facts, and this is specially true when your opinion (that usually defends pseudo-science) is not harmless at all. > **[What's The Harm?](http://whatstheharm.net/)** > > This is a list of topics in which we have found stories where a lack of critical thinking has caused unnecessary harm, death, injury, hospitalizations, major financial loss or other damages. > [@](#): > > 368,379 people killed, 306,096 injured and over $2,815,931,000 in economic damages > > Below are the topics in which we have found stories of harm. We encourage you to explore the stories within, especially any topic that is part of your own life or the lives of your loved ones. BTW many do not care that (for example) they are literally pushing diseases down the throats of children (and adults) thanks to their vaccine denial. It is clear that many people are only wilful to ignore the facts even if many more will be affected by their fake panaceas. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/83 "2014-04-28T00:38:16Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I admit, in the past I’ve razed two or three cities, but I’m on medication now. Well I sure hope that aided by medication you’ve managed to up your razing rate. Because ‘two or three’? That’s just pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/84 "2014-04-28T04:33:53Z")
The OP must have a massive troll boner by now. _Sieg heil_ indeed. > [@zoid](#): > > I think this is the heart of the issue. > Science really doesn’t care what anyone else believes. Science cares when those beliefs lead to dangerous ends. > > Wanna be a Christian/Wiccan/Hindu… > No problem, you can still be a scientist and the scientific community will accept you based upon the validity of your work. > > Wanna endanger others in order to confirm your beliefs? > Science is gonna have an issue with that. Well, it’s fair to say that the scientific community should take issue with reckless endangerment of life /health /the environment, but that’s an issue of ethics, not science itself. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/85 "2014-04-28T15:31:34Z")
Burning books is so last century. As an eco-friendly scientist of today, I recycle them! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/86 "2014-04-28T15:46:39Z")
You can’t, like, like burn the cloud, man. ---
**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 28, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/87 "2014-04-28T16:31:40Z")
I ate breakfast at Panacea the other day. Not sure what everyone is raving about, because the egg sandwich I had was terrible. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/88 "2014-04-28T16:44:51Z")
If you don’t like fucking animals then YOU’RE A NAZI! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/89 "2014-04-28T16:48:36Z")
I’ve come the conclusion that the OP is not satire because after much contemplation it doesn’t seem to satirize anything. But it should. It stinks of satire, but is, after some contemplation, straight and serious. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/90 "2014-04-28T16:51:22Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’ve come the conclusion that the OP is not satire because after much contemplation it doesn’t seem to satirize anything. But it should. It stinks of satire, but is, after some contemplation, straight and serious. It’s satirizing satire. I also have it on good authority that some nazis fucked animals. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/91 "2014-04-28T17:00:31Z")
I’ll restrict myself to a couple of low-hanging fruits. > [@MoreThanScience](#): > > It simply means they are questioning this world, which, as I understand it is the whole point of Science. Eh, I find most believers in such woo are in fact NOT questioning anything – they are asserting something they _think_ would be cool because they want it to exist, not because there’s the slightest indication it _does_ exist.Proper questioning – useful questioning – leads in the same directions science has led us: toward framing answerable questions and exploring where those answers lead. > [@MoreThanScience](#): > > never defending the rights of individuals to believe what they want to believe, even if you disagree with such beliefs. Uh…you may have a right to believe what you want to believe, but that’s not doing you or anyone else any good unless it’s a (provably) true belief. > [@MoreThanScience](#): > > Most skeptics would go to any length to wipe out any beliefs they don’t agree with – JUST LIKE THE NAZIS!! Actually, in my experience on this very board, it’s unscientific people obsessed with some strange belief who most frequently say things like “do not post unless you agree” and other attempts to shut down perceived opposition. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/92 "2014-04-28T17:00:45Z")
First they came for the animals and I did not care, for I had my own animals… ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/93 "2014-04-28T17:18:47Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > If you don’t like fucking animals then YOU’RE A NAZI! [Incorrect.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBM8j9Na2ok) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/94 "2014-04-28T22:21:24Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > John Mace has just declared war on numbers. I am a witness! As 'twas said in old Atlantis: “NUMBERS: NOTHINGARIAN SQUID-TRAP IN OUR SCHOOLS!” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/95 "2014-04-28T22:23:13Z")
> [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > Dude, that’s pretty much exactly what we’ve got going on right now. No-one’s forcing you to believe shit. George Orwell once wrote, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two and two make four. Once that is granted, all else follows.” To which I would add, “Yes, **all** else follows, including the freedom to say that two and two make five.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/96 "2014-04-28T22:25:17Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > And Hitler liked dogs. > > Do you like dogs, **John Mace**? Depends – for cooking or for fucking? Just asking questions. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/97 "2014-04-28T22:27:09Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > That wasn’t out of skepticism. Edison was just a mean guy. Just ask Tesla and Westinghouse! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/98 "2014-04-28T22:28:48Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Scientists do not seek to “burn books, destroy artifacts, even raze entire cities to promote their own agenda”. Has there ever even been an example of this happening ever? [Oh, frequently!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_genius) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/99 "2014-04-28T22:30:07Z")
> [@MoreThanScience](#): > > The reason I don’t like Skeptics (or anyone claiming to have a skeptic’s philosophy) is because I equate Skepticism with Nazism. Actually, historically, Nazis, Hitler included, were not skeptics, they were by and large extremely credulous and willing to believe all kinds of things no matter how preposterous or unsubstantiated, like racial pseudoscience identifying nations with races, and the existence of a “Jewish-Communist Conspiracy” that was at the same time the main driver of capitalism. Other than that, of course, they were exactly alike. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021/100 "2014-04-28T22:33:18Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Although I’m starting to realize why Einstein built that bomb. That was all part of the Jewish-Communist Conspiracy, of course. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-not-a-panacea/687021.md?page=6)