Jun 21, 2023 10:17 AM
The ideological subversion of biology
https://skepticalinquirer.org/2023/06/th...f-biology/
KEY POINTS (Jerry A. Coyne & Luana S. Maroja): Biology faces a grave threat from “progressive” politics that are changing the way our work is done, delimiting areas of biology that are taboo and will not be funded by the government or published in scientific journals, stipulating what words biologists must avoid in their writing, and decreeing how biology is taught to students and communicated to other scientists and the public through the technical and popular press.
We wrote this article not to argue that biology is dead, but to show how ideology is poisoning it. The science that has brought us so much progress and understanding—from the structure of DNA to the green revolution and the design of COVID-19 vaccines—is endangered by political dogma strangling our essential tradition of open research and scientific communication.
And because much of what we discuss occurs within academic science, where many scientists are too cowed to speak their minds, the public is largely unfamiliar with these issues. Sadly, by the time they become apparent to everyone, it might be too late... (MORE - details)
Transgender detransition is a taboo topic, but data shows it’s on the rise
https://bigthink.com/health/transgender-detransition/
KEY POINTS: Previous research based on data collected prior to 2015 found that just 1% of people detransition after undergoing gender-affirming therapy. However, studies conducted in the past few years find that the rate is likely between 5% and 10%. The increase could be due to reduced scrutiny before starting hormone therapy. Transgender issues have unfortunately grown ideologically charged, even in the scientific community. Both transitioners and detransitioners deserve utmost and equal care and compassion, as well as unbiased scientific study... (MORE - details)
https://skepticalinquirer.org/2023/06/th...f-biology/
KEY POINTS (Jerry A. Coyne & Luana S. Maroja): Biology faces a grave threat from “progressive” politics that are changing the way our work is done, delimiting areas of biology that are taboo and will not be funded by the government or published in scientific journals, stipulating what words biologists must avoid in their writing, and decreeing how biology is taught to students and communicated to other scientists and the public through the technical and popular press.
We wrote this article not to argue that biology is dead, but to show how ideology is poisoning it. The science that has brought us so much progress and understanding—from the structure of DNA to the green revolution and the design of COVID-19 vaccines—is endangered by political dogma strangling our essential tradition of open research and scientific communication.
And because much of what we discuss occurs within academic science, where many scientists are too cowed to speak their minds, the public is largely unfamiliar with these issues. Sadly, by the time they become apparent to everyone, it might be too late... (MORE - details)
Transgender detransition is a taboo topic, but data shows it’s on the rise
https://bigthink.com/health/transgender-detransition/
KEY POINTS: Previous research based on data collected prior to 2015 found that just 1% of people detransition after undergoing gender-affirming therapy. However, studies conducted in the past few years find that the rate is likely between 5% and 10%. The increase could be due to reduced scrutiny before starting hormone therapy. Transgender issues have unfortunately grown ideologically charged, even in the scientific community. Both transitioners and detransitioners deserve utmost and equal care and compassion, as well as unbiased scientific study... (MORE - details)