The ugly truth of science

[Christopher Simon]

Then its a good thing order likes you, or else your constituent atoms would whirl apart.

-----Original Message-----
From: "alice wellintown" <alicewellintown at gmail.com>
Sent: ‎6/‎16/‎2013 3:36 PM
To: "pynchon -l" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: Re: The ugly truth of science

I don't like order. 

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, Christopher Simon wrote:

You opened the topic by sending out a wall of text headed by "The ugly truth of science".  If you'd like to make to try and make your point in a more organized and less inflammatory way, more than a few people would participate.


From: alice wellintown
Sent: 6/16/2013 1:24 PM
To: pynchon -l
Subject: Re: The ugly truth of science


Ok, constructive discourse. I'll look for it. 




On Sunday, June 16, 2013, Christopher Simon wrote:

I haven't seen any long, abrasive threads started in defensive of science, the topic usually only seems to come in response to anti-science ones. This is to be expected, however, because science doesn't have an agenda, at least not in the same sense that AW's many threads seem to. Most of the pro-science responses seem quite level-headed, not full of rambling vitriol. There are many legitimate criticisms of the scientific community, certain methods of investigation, ethical considerations concerning personhood and experimentation, etc. None of these seem to be issues brought up, however: favor is given to abstract demonization instead. Which, while fun to read sometimes, don't ring of constructive discourse.  




From: alice wellintown
Sent: 6/16/2013 12:03 PM
To: pynchon -l
Subject: Re: The ugly truth of science



Could say he same for the zealous defense of science here, it reminds me of the defense of the Catholic Church against accusations of child abuse. And, those who toss stones have entered the ring of the lottery. Monte is a stone slinger. 
On Sunday, June 16, 2013, Christopher Simon wrote:

I think that direct personal attacks make Monte's point, for him/her, no?

Anyways, the anti-science diatribes here seem far too close to those found in fundamentalist religious circles; characterizing science as one single-minded body that has a consistent agenda, one bent on eradicating humanism or the arts, and has been doing so for upwards of a hundred years. I think you would be hard pressed to find a body (at the risk of making the same over-generalizing error) that has done more to further the quality if the human condition than the sciences.


From: alice wellintown
Sent: 6/16/2013 10:01 AM
To: pynchon -l
Subject: Re: The ugly truth of science


Monte, the stick up your ass is taller than the Empire State and you're too fixated on me and what gives me the authority to post what I'm posting. Take it easy, dude. You read more like MalignD everyday. 
 
Happy Father's Day 
 
May all our children at war return to their fathers and may all our fathers at war return to their children, healthy, and as soon as possible. 
 
And God Bless Our Terrific Scientific Nation. 



On Sun, Jun 16, 2013 at 8:51 AM, Monte Davis <montedavis at verizon.net> wrote:

No, Joseph. When Alice wrote here two weeks ago (the entire post): "Science
is the project of little men who are easily enslaved and who crave
authority, though it is, at the same time, and necessarily so, rebellious."

It was, as she explained ten days later,  a "playful allusion to Reich's
_The Mass Psychology of Fascism_." Maybe to Reich's _Listen, Little Man_ as
well; Alice is very well read. It's not a quotation, paraphrase, or summary:
in fact, Reich's "little men" were average citizens of mass society,
insecure and ignorant and seeking certainties in the fascist leadership of
Great Men. Fortunately, they coul
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