Science and Theology News<\/em> 5\/4 (December 2004): 31.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I have no objection at all to belief in evolution. \u00a0Despite the insistence of some, even very recently, that I\u2019m a young-earth creationist no matter how consistently and how often I deny it, I don\u2019t, in fact, believe that our planet was created roughly six thousand years ago, and I don\u2019t believe that cavemen once co-existed with dinosaurs.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
What strikes me about the rejection cited above, however, is its unashamed avowal of faith in explanations that are yet to be found. \u00a0Such faith surely clashes with oft-heard claims that one is restricting oneself purely to objective evidence and proven facts. \u00a0(\u201cJust the facts, ma\u2019am.\u201d) \u00a0A precommittment like this seems to me notably similar to trust in a \u201cGod of the gaps.\u201d \u00a0For some, the attitude seems to approach a \u201cnaturalism of the gaps.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Dr. Behe\u2019s article was found scientifically wanting, fine. \u00a0But if it merely failed an ideological litmus test, I\u2019m much less impressed.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
We non-scientists are pretty much compelled to rely on authorities for what we know about the various scientific disciplines and the current states of various issues. \u00a0But, in fact, many issues are still under vigorous debate \u2014 as they should be. \u00a0And many issues are not yet settled. \u00a0And that fact should be recognized.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moreover, reliance on authority is, in many important regards, antithetical to science and to scientific progress. \u00a0Even among scientists, though, authority is important. \u00a0The typical plant physiologist needs to depend upon quantum physicists for what she knows about that subject. \u00a0Oceanographers simply don\u2019t have the time or the energy or the money to rediscover all of the basic principles of ichthyology for themselves. \u00a0In fact, specialists on oceanic vulcanology lack the time, energy, and money even to reinvent the findings of other closely related sub-disciplines. \u00a0They typically take them on trust, and reasonably so.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
We all depend upon authority in most areas of our lives. \u00a0In history and other disciplines, and in reading instruction manuals, no less than in science \u00a0Inevitably. \u00a0Inescapably. \u00a0But we should recognize that fact and we should acknowledge its risks.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Park City, Utah<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 My blog\u2019s resident atheistic and scientistic ideologue will undoubtedly denounce me for my alleged hostility to science because I\u2019ve posted links to the following two articles. \u00a0Each article questions scientific authority and dissents from powerful consensuses. \u00a0However, I doubt that I\u2019m any more hostile to science than either of the articles\u2019 authors is: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
A note on consensus and authority<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\" My blog's resident atheistic and scientistic ideologue will undoubtedly denounce me for my alleged hostility to science because I've posted\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2018\/11\/a-note-on-consensus-and-authority.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A note on consensus and authority\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\" My blog's resident atheistic and scientistic ideologue will undoubtedly denounce me for my alleged hostility to science because I've posted\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2018\/11\/a-note-on-consensus-and-authority.html\" \/>\n<meta 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<\/a>