The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science
Encyclopedia
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science is a 2005 book by Tom Bethell
, the third book in the Politically Incorrect Guides
series published by Regnery Publishing
, after the Guides to American History
and Islam
.
In the book, Bethell, a senior editor at American Spectator, and a former editor of the Washington Monthly aims to deal with what conservatives have seen as the politicization of science
. It addresses a number of issues, including global warming
, nuclear power
, DDT
, AIDS denialism and control of malaria
, cloning
, genetic engineering
, intelligent design
, the trial of Galileo and the relationship between science and Christianity
. On all these topics, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science argues that the Left
have distorted scientific facts in order to advance their political agenda and to increase the size of government
, often through scare campaigns like the risk of runaway climate change
. It also states that the Left have tried to censor
those scientists who disagree with their viewpoints, regardless of what the best scientific evidence might say.
Some parts of the book were later expanded in the Politically Incorrect Guides to Darwinism and global warming.
, American Thinker, and columnist William Rusher.
on a wide range of issues, and reflect a political rather than a scientific agenda. In a review for Skeptical Inquirer
, Chris Mooney noted:
Mooney concludes that the book is "a very saddening and depressing read", and that mistakes and individual biases notwithstanding, scientists have "thanks to the scientific process--come up with a great deal of important and relevant knowledge", and that Bethel "radically distorts and undermines their conclusions and findings, while whipping up resentment of the scientific community among rank-and-file political conservatives."
Another review described Bethell as "an ultra-conservative, right-wing religious zealot" that...
Tom Bethell
Tom Bethell is a journalist who writes mainly on economic and scientific issues, and is known for his support of the market economy, political conservatism, and fringe science. He says that neither evolution nor intelligent design is falsifiable....
, the third book in the Politically Incorrect Guides
The Politically Incorrect Guide
The Politically Incorrect Guide is a book series by Regnery Publishing presenting conservative or what the publishers of the books consider, politically incorrect beliefs on various topics. Each book is written by a different author and generally presents a conservative or libertarian viewpoint on...
series published by Regnery Publishing
Regnery Publishing
Regnery Publishing in Washington, D.C., is a publisher which specializes in conservative books characterized on their website as "contrary to those of 'mainstream' publishers in New York." Since 1993, Regnery Publishing has been a division of Eagle Publishing, which also owns the weekly magazine...
, after the Guides to American History
The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History
The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, by Thomas Woods, was published in December 2004. This book was the first in the Politically Incorrect Guide series published by Regnery Publishing, who view the series as covering topics without consideration for political correctness. The book...
and Islam
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (And the Crusades)
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam is a controversial book by Robert Spencer, the director of Jihad Watch. It is part of The Politically Incorrect Guide series by Regnery Publishing.-Content :...
.
In the book, Bethell, a senior editor at American Spectator, and a former editor of the Washington Monthly aims to deal with what conservatives have seen as the politicization of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
. It addresses a number of issues, including global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
, DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
, AIDS denialism and control of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
, genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
, intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
, the trial of Galileo and the relationship between science and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. On all these topics, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science argues that the Left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
have distorted scientific facts in order to advance their political agenda and to increase the size of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, often through scare campaigns like the risk of runaway climate change
Runaway climate change
Runaway climate change describes a theoretical scenario in which the climate system passes a threshold or tipping point, after which internal positive feedback effects cause the climate to continue changing without further external forcings...
. It also states that the Left have tried to censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
those scientists who disagree with their viewpoints, regardless of what the best scientific evidence might say.
Some parts of the book were later expanded in the Politically Incorrect Guides to Darwinism and global warming.
Praise
The book received positive coverage from LewRockwell.comLewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com is a 501 libertarian web magazine operated by Burton Blumert , Lew Rockwell , Eric Garris , and others associated with the Center for Libertarian Studies ; its motto is "anti-state, anti-war, pro-market"...
, American Thinker, and columnist William Rusher.
Criticism
Critics have argued that the positions advanced in the book are contrary to the mainstream scientific consensusScientific consensus
Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of study. Consensus implies general agreement, though not necessarily unanimity. Scientific consensus is not by itself a scientific argument, and it is not part of the...
on a wide range of issues, and reflect a political rather than a scientific agenda. In a review for Skeptical Inquirer
Skeptical Inquirer
The Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason....
, Chris Mooney noted:
Mooney concludes that the book is "a very saddening and depressing read", and that mistakes and individual biases notwithstanding, scientists have "thanks to the scientific process--come up with a great deal of important and relevant knowledge", and that Bethel "radically distorts and undermines their conclusions and findings, while whipping up resentment of the scientific community among rank-and-file political conservatives."
Another review described Bethell as "an ultra-conservative, right-wing religious zealot" that...