“These pernicious anti-scientific trends”
I sauntered over to Duke University this morning to sit in an auditorium and watch the Nobel medal award ceremony via nobelprize.org with some fellow researchers and writers like Anton Zuiker and Eric Ferreri.
Hellooooo, Stockholm! The view this morning from Duke University’s Schiciano Auditorium. Yes, I could’ve watched on my computer anywhere but it felt right to be on the Duke campus. Credit: David Kroll/CENtral Science
As I’ve written ad nauseum, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to watch the goings-on with half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012 with Duke’s Dr. Bob Lefkowitz. Lefkowitz shared the prize for the chemistry behind G-protein coupled receptors with his former fellow, Stanford’s Dr. Brian Kobilka.
And as my students know, nobelprize.org is an absolutely terrific (and free) site for some of the most noteworthy documentation of the great scientific discoveries since 1901. So, I’ve been very interested to now follow the Nobel lectures for all the prizes.
But what I absolutely loved was tonight’s banquet speech given by Lefkowitz on behalf of himself, Kobilka, and their families. Here’s an excerpt that warmed my cockles:
For those of us in the sciences, we watch with delight as every October the eyes of the entire world focus, if only transiently, on the power of discoveries in chemistry, physics, medicine, physiology, and economics to shape our lives. However, as an American Scientist, and now Nobel Laureate, I have never been more aware or more appreciative of this effect of the Prize announcements. We have just had a Presidential election in the United States. One of the fault lines in the campaign was the role that science plays in shaping public policy decisions. A clear anti-science bias was apparent in many who sought the presidential nomination of one of our major political parties. This was manifest as a refusal to accept for example, the theory of evolution, the existence of global warming, much less of the role of humans in this process, the value of vaccines or of embryonic stem cell research. Each of us Laureates aspires in our own small way to do what we can to counter these pernicious anti-scientific trends.
I hope that this excerpt and message makes it to the mainstream media. And I’m happy to work with Dr. Lefkowitz in any way he sees to “counter these pernicious anti-scientific trends.”
Leave a Reply
Dec 11th 2012 • 08:12
by qvxb
Anti-science is not limited to those on the political right. There are people who want chemical-free, all-natural organic products. They believe in veganism, homeopathy, psychics, magnetic and copper bracelets for joint-pain relief, and that tap water is deadly.
Dec 11th 2012 • 09:12
by David Kroll
qvxb, you raise a very important point. While the topics Lefkowitz points to above are mostly issues of the right, I agree completely that many on the left have a whole cadre of anti-science beliefs like those you raise.
Seth Mnookin mentioned this point in his book, The Panic Virus. Part of the stimulus for his book was attending parties of friends who were liberal and well-educated who were also adamant that their kids weren’t going to be vaccinated.
Thanks so much for raising this important point. Anti-science beliefs aren’t partisan, they just come in different flavors.
Dec 11th 2012 • 18:12
by Chad
There are two major differenes between the anti-vaxers and climate change deniers
1: The anti-vaxers are found in both parties in fairly similar proportions
2: They hold power in neither
While in general you can find some kooky beliefs on the fringe left, these people simply have little influence politically. The same cannot be said on the right.
And to qvxb: What is anti-science about veganism? It is actually quite healthy, and a prescription against harming animals is a moral, not scientific, stance.
Dec 11th 2012 • 21:12
by Carmen
David– I would love to see you join forces with NC-area Nobelists. they’d be lucky to have you!
And true on the chemophobia from the left, qvxb. I wonder whether it’s even possible to craft one unified message that could counter all the different anti-science crowds. (shameless plug, Dr. Rubidium and I will be co-moderating a session on the chemophobia topic at ScienceOnline 2013. )