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Politicization of science (view source)
Revision as of 12:46, March 11, 2008
, 12:46, March 11, 2008current top controversies are global warming and the theory of evolution.
'''Politicization of science''' is the misuse of science to serve a political agenda.
'''Politicization of science''' is the misuse of science to serve a political agenda.
It occurs when interested parties assert a certain fact or principle as true, even when it remains unproven or is even manifestly untrue. It occurs when scientific facts or principles are suppressed because they contradict ideology.
It occurs when interested parties assert a certain fact or principle as true, even when it remains unproven or is even manifestly untrue. It occurs when scientific facts or principles are suppressed because they contradict ideology.
The two best known cases in the [[history of science]] concern the church's suppression of [[Galileo]], whose findings were finally accepted by the Roman Catholic Church centuries later; and the [[Lysenko]] episode in the Soviet Union. The current top controversies are [[global warming]] and the [[theory of evolution]].
The best documented case in American history is the banning of [[DDT]] immediately after a hearing in which it was shown to be safe when used as directed. In small quantities, it can even be eaten by human beings - it's not a poison like arsenic or cyanide but it is accumulated in bodies through the food chain effecting especially birds (see closer article [[DDT]]). The new EPA administrator disregarded the hearing results and unilaterally banned DDT. The U.S. ban put pressure on foreign governments to stop using DDT for mosquito control and ultimately led to a worldwide rise in the number of malaria cases; thwarting efforts to control the spread of the disease (see [[Malaria epidemic]]).
The best documented case in American history is the banning of [[DDT]] immediately after a hearing in which it was shown to be safe when used as directed. In small quantities, it can even be eaten by human beings - it's not a poison like arsenic or cyanide but it is accumulated in bodies through the food chain effecting especially birds (see closer article [[DDT]]). The new EPA administrator disregarded the hearing results and unilaterally banned DDT. The U.S. ban put pressure on foreign governments to stop using DDT for mosquito control and ultimately led to a worldwide rise in the number of malaria cases; thwarting efforts to control the spread of the disease (see [[Malaria epidemic]]).