December 9, 2009

Climategate and Government-Driven Science

By Bruce Walker
There are many lessons we can learn from Climategate. Environmentalism has become an intolerant religion rather than a rational movement seeking limited goals; the unsavory priests of environmentalism have no qualms about tricking people; and these fanatical clerics also preside over an inquisition of those who profess a different sort of climate study from the one which has become the formal dogma of the faith.  One of the costs of freedom is tolerance of foolishness and even of malice. If individuals privately want to worship pagan religions and embrace a sort of silly Gnosticism, they may do so without government stopping them. Likewise, if individuals want to proclaim a "new science" or a "new religion" -- the two are almost identical -- and then seek acolytes from among the general population, that too is tolerated by governments that cherish freedom.  Because both science and religion are ongoing explorations for truth, no one has the right to...(Read Full Article)