Cargo Cult Science is a term coined by Richard Feynman in a 1974 Caltech address to describe the way science is often done. Cargo Cult’s sometimes developed in tribal societies where non-natives bring advanced technologies for a time through ships or aircraft. The Cargo Cult’s sometimes started worshipping the people or technology as divine, not realising the human origin of such artefacts. Feynman argued that scientists can fall into the same trap through a desire to be right. (In terms of Darwinism, the theory itself has become so sacred that questioning of its central tenets must be rebuffed with a sort of religious zeal). Feynman felt the need to avoid this common risk of self-delusion in science through a process of questioning, with the need for scientists to doubt their own theories and results together with full investigations of possible flaws in their own work.
Recent editorials in Nature and New Scientist call for evolution to be promoted as ‘scientific fact’ with renewed vigour by every academy and society in the run up to the Darwin Day celebrations in 2009. Along with this is the typical misrepresentation of creationist arguments that could be described as a form of ‘Cargo Cult Science.’
Why the desperation and lack of candour you might ask with such editorials? [1] [2] Because there is continued widespread scepticism of evolutionary claims in society with over half in both Britain and America rejecting the wider beliefs of Darwinism and the naturalistic science establishment wants to hold onto its position of power.
Recent editorials in Nature and New Scientist call for evolution to be promoted as ‘scientific fact’ with renewed vigour by every academy and society in the run up to the Darwin Day celebrations in 2009. Along with this is the typical misrepresentation of creationist arguments that could be described as a form of ‘Cargo Cult Science.’
Why the desperation and lack of candour you might ask with such editorials? [1] [2] Because there is continued widespread scepticism of evolutionary claims in society with over half in both Britain and America rejecting the wider beliefs of Darwinism and the naturalistic science establishment wants to hold onto its position of power.
Richard Feynman called this type of approach, where important information is ignored or misrepresented, ‘Cargo-Cult Science.’ Cargo-Cult Science has all the appearance of good science, but it is based on fallacies. Instead Feynman called for scientists to work within a framework of ‘utter honesty,' commenting.
‘It's a kind of scientific integrity, a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to a kind of utter honesty--a kind of leaning over backwards. For example, if you're doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid--not only what you think is right about it.'
Details that could throw doubt on your interpretation must be given, if you know them. You must do the best you can--if you know anything at all wrong, or possibly wrong--to explain it. If you make a theory, for example, and advertise it, or put it out, then you must also put down all the facts that disagree with it, as well as those that agree with it.’[3]
Read More: http://www.csm.org.uk/news.php?viewmessage=95
[1] Nature Editorial ‘Spread the Word’ Vol. 451, p. 108, 10th Jan 2008
[2] New Scientist Editorial, ‘It’s evolution, stupid,’ 2638, 12th Jan 2008
[3] Feynman, R (1974) ‘Cargo Cult Science,’ Engineering and Science, Vol. 37:7, June
