Quote:
Originally Posted by sum1lost
Quote:
Originally Posted by licker
Why on earth would you want to label most scientists as being democrats? and far left leaning democrats at that?
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Actually, I've heard this as well, and if it wasn't almost 1AM here, would be looking up the sources where it could be found, as I read it in some rather serious nonfiction not two weeks ago. Many of the attitudes found in the right, specifically those personified by Gov. Palin, don't seat well with the majority of scientests, nor do the many crusades some members of the right have fought against science. Seriously, most of the objections to the idea of global warming, stem cell research, evolution, environmental calamities in general etc have come from right (primarily the religious right at that, though big business has played its part at times).
Add to that the fact that scientests, as a whole, tend to be very irreligious, and they tend to step even further away from the right on many issues. |
What does being irreligious (though even that is an exaggeration) have to do with being a democrat?
I do believe that you are falling for the 'I saw a black bird, therefore all birds are black' fallacy.
Scientists may well have educated opinions on global warming or evolution, but that doesn't make them necessarily far left, other than if you want to stick that stupid spectrum individually on every issue.
Indeed, I have found most scientists outside of academia to be far more conservative with respect to issues of the economy or foreign policy than the average non scientist, but again, that doesn't necessarily place them by default into any one group.
Hell I work at a national lab in a community where the majority of people have advanced degrees in a natural science (as do I) and the electoral split is almost 50/50 for the county.
I've been at universities, and within the departments I was affiliated with the split was still not as extreme as is being touted. My observations showed that it was not those in the natural sciences who were left leaning, but rather the faculty in the social sciences and arts. That's not terribly surprising I think, but it doesn't support the assertion that a majority of scientists in this country are far left.
Most scientists know a far right nutter when they see one, and when topics such as ID come up they deal with that topic, not entire platforms of parties, but individuals within a party who may be promoting some agenda they disagree with.