A new Report warns of political interference in science to justify conservative views on abortion, genetic research, energy and the environment.
Distortion of science requires ongoing effort, is a hallmark of inflexible political ideology and should ring alarm bells in a democratic society because there is empirical evidence that it is very dangerous.
The mistake made by Stalinists of associating similarity with equality created an ideological preference to scientific findings which proved that traits were acquired and not inherited. In order to tackle massive food shortages, Lysencho, who’s rejection of genetics in favor of acquired traits fitted Soviet ideology, was recruited to provide a solution. The result of this single example, amongst many similar, is that several hundred thousand people died.
The separation of church and state is an idea founded on the realization that and inflexible belief system does not gel with sound politics. According to opinion polls, it is an idea shared by both Democrats and Republicans. An administration that distorts scientific findings to fit with conservative religious beliefs, has combined the two inexorably.