Comments on: Stupid Human Tricks: The Sad Case of the Spotted Owl http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/07/02/stupid-human-tricks-the-sad-case-of-the-spotted-owl/ Conservative and Libertarian Intellectual Philosophy and Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: lcmslutheran http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/07/02/stupid-human-tricks-the-sad-case-of-the-spotted-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-52892 lcmslutheran Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:51:37 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/07/01/stupid-human-tricks-the-sad-case-of-the-spotted-owl/#comment-52892 Kudos for having the cachinga's to publish this. I'm surprised you're not being fried in the comments. I'm trying to spread the word by linking to this on my blog. We need to expose these Don Quixotes every chance we get. Kudos for having the cachinga’s to publish this. I’m surprised you’re not being fried in the comments. I’m trying to spread the word by linking to this on my blog. We need to expose these Don Quixotes every chance we get.

]]> By: Steve Sabin http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/07/02/stupid-human-tricks-the-sad-case-of-the-spotted-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-52867 Steve Sabin Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:51:02 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/07/01/stupid-human-tricks-the-sad-case-of-the-spotted-owl/#comment-52867 Having grown up in Southern Oregon, I'm all too familiar with the impact this questionable science of the Spotted Owl had on the timber industry. I'm not usually real big on "The Litigious Society" but this is one time where I'd like to see industry stick it to the environmentalists with a massive class-action suit for all the little guys who were shafted and robbed of a livelihood. One person who has written extensively on the dangers of politicized science is Michael Crichton. Although I have mixed feelings about him as an author, and do not concur with him on numerous things, I think he is spot-on when it comes to he posture on politicized science. He has been soundly rebuked for daring to question the "fact" of global warming in his book "State of Fear." His book "Next" tackles the issue of genetic research and whether it will actually lead to "progress" or not. There are a number of interesting transcripts of speeches he has given on this topic (politicized science) available on his website if you care to take a look: www.michaelcrichton.com. Another good book on the topic is called "The Skeptical Environmentalist" written by a self-professed environmentalist and political liberal: Bjorn Lomborg. He's a Danish university professor and his expertise is "game theory" (the relationship between public policy, expenditures, and actual outcomes). I'm always impressed with someone's integrity when they start out their research with one point of view and allow their pre-conceived ideas to be overturned when the data indicates they were wrong. So, when someone like Lomborg who was initially sympathetic to the cause starts questioning the science, it behooves us to pay attention. It is very infrequent that someone from within the ranks of radical environmentalism will tell the truth when it is not necessarily helpful to their cause. I'll watch with interest to see if this study's results will be printed anywhere in the mainstream press or the major environmental organizations. Better yet, how about National Geographic? I used to like the magazine, but in recent years it has become 2 parts environmental soapbox for every 1 part information. Having grown up in Southern Oregon, I’m all too familiar with the impact this questionable science of the Spotted Owl had on the timber industry. I’m not usually real big on “The Litigious Society” but this is one time where I’d like to see industry stick it to the environmentalists with a massive class-action suit for all the little guys who were shafted and robbed of a livelihood.

One person who has written extensively on the dangers of politicized science is Michael Crichton. Although I have mixed feelings about him as an author, and do not concur with him on numerous things, I think he is spot-on when it comes to he posture on politicized science. He has been soundly rebuked for daring to question the “fact” of global warming in his book “State of Fear.” His book “Next” tackles the issue of genetic research and whether it will actually lead to “progress” or not.

There are a number of interesting transcripts of speeches he has given on this topic (politicized science) available on his website if you care to take a look: http://www.michaelcrichton.com.

Another good book on the topic is called “The Skeptical Environmentalist” written by a self-professed environmentalist and political liberal: Bjorn Lomborg. He’s a Danish university professor and his expertise is “game theory” (the relationship between public policy, expenditures, and actual outcomes). I’m always impressed with someone’s integrity when they start out their research with one point of view and allow their pre-conceived ideas to be overturned when the data indicates they were wrong. So, when someone like Lomborg who was initially sympathetic to the cause starts questioning the science, it behooves us to pay attention.

It is very infrequent that someone from within the ranks of radical environmentalism will tell the truth when it is not necessarily helpful to their cause.

I’ll watch with interest to see if this study’s results will be printed anywhere in the mainstream press or the major environmental organizations. Better yet, how about National Geographic? I used to like the magazine, but in recent years it has become 2 parts environmental soapbox for every 1 part information.

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