Comments on: Credulity, Skepticism and Cynicism http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/ We don't need no stinking subtitle Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:44:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: uberVU - social comments http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-13293 uberVU - social comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:49:35 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-13293 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by BoraZ: Credulity, Skepticism and Cynicism http://tinyurl.com/ydlfhfw by @szvan... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by BoraZ: Credulity, Skepticism and Cynicism http://tinyurl.com/ydlfhfw by @szvan…

]]> By: Jim Lippard http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-13244 Jim Lippard Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:04:14 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-13244 People who admit and correct their mistakes tend to be more reliable than those who refuse to do so and issue a stream of excuses to reinterpret their errors as non-errors. People who admit and correct their mistakes tend to be more reliable than those who refuse to do so and issue a stream of excuses to reinterpret their errors as non-errors.

]]> By: Lou FCD http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11461 Lou FCD Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:03:02 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11461 I prefer to call it the benefit of experience, but cynicism works for me.* (*Note, I may be heavily influenced by the vast amount of stoopid I've missed over the course of the semester, on which I am now catching up in large doses.) I prefer to call it the benefit of experience, but cynicism works for me.*

(*Note, I may be heavily influenced by the vast amount of stoopid I’ve missed over the course of the semester, on which I am now catching up in large doses.)

]]> By: Stephanie Zvan http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11460 Stephanie Zvan Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:36:52 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11460 Going for cynicism, then, Lou? Going for cynicism, then, Lou?

]]> By: Lou FCD http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11459 Lou FCD Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:32:22 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11459 Just some quick rules of thumb to help narrow the field: If it comes out of the mouth of a Republican or a member of the clergy, it's most likely a heinous lie. If it comes out of the mouth of any other politician, it's most likely just wrong. If it comes out of the mouth of a faithhead, just give them the finger, it's most likely inane. If it comes out of the mouth of a science journalist, it's most likely twisted beyond recognition. If it comes out of the mouth of a physicist and you think you understand it, you are totally clueless. If it comes out of the mouth of a biologist, it's probably too cool for words. If it comes out of my mouth, just laugh and pretend like it's funny. Just some quick rules of thumb to help narrow the field:

If it comes out of the mouth of a Republican or a member of the clergy, it’s most likely a heinous lie.

If it comes out of the mouth of any other politician, it’s most likely just wrong.

If it comes out of the mouth of a faithhead, just give them the finger, it’s most likely inane.

If it comes out of the mouth of a science journalist, it’s most likely twisted beyond recognition.

If it comes out of the mouth of a physicist and you think you understand it, you are totally clueless.

If it comes out of the mouth of a biologist, it’s probably too cool for words.

If it comes out of my mouth, just laugh and pretend like it’s funny.

]]> By: a daughter's mother http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11320 a daughter's mother Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:35:41 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11320 Khan, You apparently think that those folks use logical thinking. "I am afraid of vaccinations and won't subject my children to their alleged terrors" does not translate in their minds to "therefore infectious disease will increase and it is a good thing". Their thinking stops at the belief that they are protecting their children. They don't look past that to the likely consequences of their behavior (now my child could catch that disease), much less the likely outcome if millions of other parents shared both their fears and their actions, thus paving the way for increased spread of disease. They've never watched a child struggle to breathe through whooping cough, or born a deaf child due to their catching German measles during early pregnancy, or lost family members and neighbors to diphtheria, or had fertility problems due to adult mumps, or suffered the agony of shingles, or had classmates who walked with crutches and leg braces after polio. They have no experience to give a context to whether diseases are a good thing. They are the willfully ignorant. Pity them. Fear them. Khan, You apparently think that those folks use logical thinking. “I am afraid of vaccinations and won’t subject my children to their alleged terrors” does not translate in their minds to “therefore infectious disease will increase and it is a good thing”. Their thinking stops at the belief that they are protecting their children. They don’t look past that to the likely consequences of their behavior (now my child could catch that disease), much less the likely outcome if millions of other parents shared both their fears and their actions, thus paving the way for increased spread of disease. They’ve never watched a child struggle to breathe through whooping cough, or born a deaf child due to their catching German measles during early pregnancy, or lost family members and neighbors to diphtheria, or had fertility problems due to adult mumps, or suffered the agony of shingles, or had classmates who walked with crutches and leg braces after polio. They have no experience to give a context to whether diseases are a good thing. They are the willfully ignorant. Pity them. Fear them.

]]> By: khan http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11303 khan Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:34:06 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11303 I find it almost impossible to wrap my brain around the idea that a certain number of people think that infectious disease is a good thing. I find it almost impossible to wrap my brain around the idea that a certain number of people think that infectious disease is a good thing.

]]> By: Mike Haubrich http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11204 Mike Haubrich Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:04:25 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11204 <a href="http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/10_jan_feb/Galef.html" rel="nofollow">This article from <em>The Humanist </em></a>magazine by Julia Galef is an excellent discussion of what is happening in the area of an understanding of science in the public and why people are willing to get it so wrong. This article from The Humanist magazine by Julia Galef is an excellent discussion of what is happening in the area of an understanding of science in the public and why people are willing to get it so wrong.

]]> By: a daughter's mother http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11094 a daughter's mother Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:20:31 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11094 Greg, not so sure about not infecting others if home schooled. I knew such a family in my town, met regularly with other home-schooled kids to get socialized, went to church, went to the mall like all good American kids do, even went to China. (They of course stayed as insulated in American settings as possible, ate American foods, and so forth, but that's a whole 'nother point.) Anyway, those home schooled kids are not necessarily isolated. Meanwhile, I'm going to try to track down my very own H1N1 shot tomorrow, now that everybody can get one. Seems that lots of high-risk folks are declining to get one. There might be a Darwin award there, but it's just too common an occurrence. Greg, not so sure about not infecting others if home schooled. I knew such a family in my town, met regularly with other home-schooled kids to get socialized, went to church, went to the mall like all good American kids do, even went to China. (They of course stayed as insulated in American settings as possible, ate American foods, and so forth, but that’s a whole ‘nother point.) Anyway, those home schooled kids are not necessarily isolated.

Meanwhile, I’m going to try to track down my very own H1N1 shot tomorrow, now that everybody can get one. Seems that lots of high-risk folks are declining to get one. There might be a Darwin award there, but it’s just too common an occurrence.

]]> By: Greg Laden http://quichemoraine.com/2009/12/credulity-skepticism-and-cynicism/#comment-11049 Greg Laden Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:04:45 +0000 http://quichemoraine.com/?p=2096#comment-11049 DaMo: I think you are correct. The couple I saw yesterday will only be able to avoid vaccination until school. They may at that point opt for home schooling to avoid the vaccination, but then the child will have to get vaccinated on entering college, or perhaps getting health care, or joining the army, or something. In the mean time, she will serve as a vector for those awful diseases that we don't really need to have re-surging now and then, but at least, as a home schooler, will probably not infect too many people. DaMo: I think you are correct. The couple I saw yesterday will only be able to avoid vaccination until school. They may at that point opt for home schooling to avoid the vaccination, but then the child will have to get vaccinated on entering college, or perhaps getting health care, or joining the army, or something. In the mean time, she will serve as a vector for those awful diseases that we don’t really need to have re-surging now and then, but at least, as a home schooler, will probably not infect too many people.

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