Fundamentalist Scientists vs Fundamentalist Believers

[JM]

Lets flip the tables here for a moment, we spend enough time talking about the fundamentalist believer

It's no surprise to find that Science has its own share of Fundamentalist Scientists

Whats your thoughts on it?

[Commodore Angryy]

Anybody who believes something without further seeking of truth, or a closed mind is an idiot. Nuff said.

[friendly hardline atheist]

Originally Posted by JM

Lets flip the tables here for a moment, we spend enough time talking about the fundamentalist believer

It's no surprise to find that Science has its own share of Fundamentalist Scientists

Whats your thoughts on it?

There may be, but they don't last for too long as leaders in their field. If in science someone clings to an untenable idea, they will at some point be shown wrong when someone thinks up a new experiment to answer the controversial question. Those who are shown to be wrong have to get with it, or lose credibility. And with that, usually their financing. So there is a sort of evolution at work, call it 'natural credibility selection', to let those who don't adapt fade away. It can take some time. The different views of whether the dinosaurs were warm or cold blooded lasted more than a century I believe. But eventually there was broad agreement. And that example is the longest lasting one I can think of from the top of my head. Another example would be Fred Hoyle, who thought the universe was infinitely old and didn't have a beginning. When the discovery of cosmic background radiation showed him wrong, he couldn't accept it. And while he had done great other work in his career, it did make him a laughing stock.

When your ideas are shown to be wrong, the natural inclination seems to be to stick up for them. It can be difficult to swallow the bad news. But as a scientist you have to. Most do after a while and maybe some pulling. And those who don't, well, screw them, no need to take them into consideration any longer.

greets,
Peter

[Someday]

I'm not really sure what a fundamentalist scientist is.
I would hope that a scientist follows certain fundamental principles in his/her work. This is the nature of the discipline. Scientists must confine their thinking when approaching their work. Science is rooted in the natural universe, and there are accepted methods for explaining that universe that a good scientist must follow. Scientists cannot be freethinkers when it comes to their craft. That is, unless you redefine freedom to mean confinement as many are want to do today when they call themselves freethinkers.

Blessings

[El Peatieablo]

A freethinker doesn't have to accept all ideas. If a certain idea is absolutely ridiculous a freethinker may dismiss it and still retain the title of "freethinker". Someday, you are making the all too common argument (and I use the term only very loosely) of saying something like "anybody who doesn't agree with me is closed minded/dogmatic/other stupid stuff." I hope we can all see that this is an entirely ludicrous argument and that it is far more appropriate for a whiny 5 year old than any adults that may be visiting this site.

Wow Someday, just wow...

[Someday]

A freethinker doesn't have to accept all ideas.

So......YEC creationists are freethinkers because they don't accept all ideas??

omeday, you are making the all too common argument (and I use the term only very loosely) of saying something like "anybody who doesn't agree with me is closed minded/dogmatic/other stupid stuff."

That's a strawman. I never said THAT. I did say freethinking as the word is used today is based on confining ones thinking, and rejecting certain things. Why are you arguing?

Blessings

[Brad]

Originally Posted by El Peatieablo

A freethinker doesn't have to accept all ideas

Originally Posted by Someday

So......YEC creationists are freethinkers because they don't accept all ideas??

A bird doesn't have to be able to fly.

So...people are birds because they can't fly??

I'd suggest that Freethinking is allowing yourself to consider all possibilities, however improbable. You are then able to reject the possibilities that do not fit with your current view of the world.

[Mycernius]

Originally Posted by Someday

So......YEC creationists are freethinkers because they don't accept all ideas??

YECs don't think, full stop.

(pedant corner)
Why say YEC creationists? YEC mean young earth creationist, so you have just written young earth creationist creationist. I'll go back into my corner again

[Someday]

A bird doesn't have to be able to fly.

So...people are birds because they can't fly??

Apples to oranges.

I'd suggest that Freethinking is allowing yourself to consider all possibilities, however improbable. You are then able to reject the possibilities that do not fit with your current view of the world.

I'd agree, that's what one ought to be.
That's not the brand that is being put forth on the internet. Nor is that the sort of thing being suggested by the apostles of militant atheism. They preach Freedom from any religious thought first. Thus they confine their thought, not free it.

Blessings

Blessings

[Someday]

Why say YEC creationists? YEC mean young earth creationist, so you have just written young earth creationist creationist.

Lol, very true

Blessings