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March for Science 2017

alfaniner

Penultimate Amazing
alfaniner
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The only "protest" event I've ever been to and participated in. Probably more signs and clever slogans than any other event. And not one misspelling in the lot.
 
Donald Trump said:
Rigorous science is critical to my administration's efforts to achieve the twin goals of economic growth and environmental protection.

My administration is committed to advancing scientific research that leads to a better understanding of our environment and of environmental risks.

As we do so, we should remember that rigorous science depends not on ideology, but on a spirit of honest inquiry and robust debate.

This April 22nd, as we observe Earth Day, I hope that our nation can come together to give thanks for the land we all love and call home.

I am committed to keeping our air and water clean but always remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter!
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Basically saying that there's not much need for a science march because his people have already got that thing covered. Making the country great again, and making science great again. Or something like that.
 
William Parcher said:
Basically saying that there's not much need for a science march because his people have already got that thing covered. Making the country great again, and making science great again. Or something like that.
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Yeah, this is from the guy whose longest-held belief is that Vaccines cause Autism.
 
Well, I thought this event would generate more buzz from this group. Which is why I'd assumed a thread had already been made. Maybe it should have gone in FC?

There was certainly a lot of news coverage on it. Also, it coinciding with Earth Day, I noticed the area was cleaner afterwards than before we got there.
 
The March for Science was a moment made for Bill Nye

He debuted a new 13-episode Netflix series Friday, “Bill Nye Saves the World,” with a more urgent tone, and aimed at a broader audience, than his public TV days.
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Well isn't that convenient ;)

I'm actually not too familiar with Nye's TV shows. I watched 2 episodes of his new Netflix series. I'm not real crazy about his delivery, sometimes. He seems a bit too angry and condescending, as if he's preaching to his choir of people who already know that science and critical thought are awesome. Half the people in my life, or more, don't even know what critical thinking is. You need to talk to them. Nicely.

I think it's awesome to have more science shows. He's a little preachy though, as if he is completely frustrated with people. He probably is, but it rubbed me the wrong way a little.

I also didn't like the guy (a producer or writer, I forgot) who did a stand up comedy bit repeatedly imploring white people not to do certain things (ruining yoga, using statues of Buddha improperly). I didn't think it was appropriate for a science show.

A science show should not risk alienating people like that. Ya dude, we know white people are evil, I watch the news. It's almost cliche now. Just a bad decision in my opinion.

More exposure to science is good, and I guess Bill Nye has a big following. Sorry if off topic, there just isn't much to say about the actual march.
 
marplots said:
I remember when science was taught in schools. Miss that.
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Critical thinking should be taught very early on. I'd never even heard of it until I signed up for the class in college. That is not good. You are not taught to question anything in school now that I think about it.
 
King Crocoduck, a youtuber more well known for his attacks on creationists made a video discussing things he noticed at the LA March, probably the most disturbing was a speaker who wanted scientists to support her idea, not because the evidence supports it (or not.), but because it is 'right'.

http://youtu.be/c4zgDXZaH6I
 
I think it's fantastic that these marches were so big, but I seriously doubt the ability of protests and demonstrations to actually change anything.

Back in the 60s and 70s, sure. They were new and unusual and they shook people up and got stuff done. But in today's post-Occupy world, it's pretty clear that no matter how many people turn out, no matter how clever the signs, those in charge will just ignore them.
 
FOX News is remarking that the March for Science blocked traffic and increased air pollution.
 
Internet forums have proved most revealing to this retired science researcher/teacher over the years. First, I suspect that the majority of folk, educated included, have no idea how and where our body's atoms (and those around it) were created. Some might make reference to a single act of creation (not necessarily creationist, but marginally more scientific with mention of a Big Bang). I'm willing to bet there will be few references to post-Big Bang nucleosynthesis, stellar life cycles, nuclear fusion etc, so outside of "nuclear energy" in the context of atomic bombs and nuclear power stations there's little if any appreciation of the concept of spontaneous NEGATIVE entropy change having endowed ourselves and our planet with vast amounts of stored potential energy that seemingly 'arrived from nowhere'. That ignorance of the notion of latterly-acquired order - negative entropy change - then extends into the area of (a)biogenesis, where some of that stored stellar-derived energy can and was used spontaneously purely via physics and chemistry to generate highly localized order - like primeval life forms etc - with no breaching of the Laws of Thermodynamics.

None of this made the UK National Curriculum back in the 90s which I personally had the misfortune to have to deliver to teenagers in its early days. I doubt if it still has. I suspect a lot of policy makers who continue to champion the "daily act of collective worship" in schools, notably the broadly-Christian school assemblies etc, are distinctly uncomfortable with the idea of teaching about spontaneous negative entropy changes - essentially self-ordering with no outside help - finding the energy 'from within', i.e. from those quantized electronic energy levels! Mustn't go there where young impressionable minds are concerned. It's dangerous stuff you know! I mean to say: where will it all end? A total loss of national moral fibre... ?

Keep marching for science - but beware - there's an Everest that has to be climbed where science (real science) education is concerned.
 
meccanoman said:
Internet forums have proved most revealing to this retired science researcher/teacher over the years. First, I suspect that the majority of folk, educated included, have no idea how and where our body's atoms (and those around it) were created. Some might make reference to a single act of creation (not necessarily creationist, but marginally more scientific with mention of a Big Bang). I'm willing to bet there will be few references to post-Big Bang nucleosynthesis, stellar life cycles, nuclear fusion etc, so outside of "nuclear energy" in the context of atomic bombs and nuclear power stations there's little if any appreciation of the concept of spontaneous NEGATIVE entropy change having endowed ourselves and our planet with vast amounts of stored potential energy that seemingly 'arrived from nowhere'. That ignorance of the notion of latterly-acquired order - negative entropy change - then extends into the area of (a)biogenesis, where some of that stored stellar-derived energy can and was used spontaneously purely via physics and chemistry to generate highly localized order - like primeval life forms etc - with no breaching of the Laws of Thermodynamics.

None of this made the UK National Curriculum back in the 90s which I personally had the misfortune to have to deliver to teenagers in its early days. I doubt if it still has. I suspect a lot of policy makers who continue to champion the "daily act of collective worship" in schools, notably the broadly-Christian school assemblies etc, are distinctly uncomfortable with the idea of teaching about spontaneous negative entropy changes - essentially self-ordering with no outside help - finding the energy 'from within', i.e. from those quantized electronic energy levels! Mustn't go there where young impressionable minds are concerned. It's dangerous stuff you know! I mean to say: where will it all end? A total loss of national moral fibre... ?

Keep marching for science - but beware - there's an Everest that has to be climbed where science (real science) education is concerned.
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Science education, because it's there.
 
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