Confronting Science Contrarians: 2019 election

I'll keep this short. We had two local rural libraries facing closure because of shrinking County financial support, so local citizens took the matter in hand. Long story short, we gained 400 signatures to qualify for a special tax district ballot measure #6D. The County Clerk has now declared it a victory. Truth be told the victory margin of 4% is rather disappointing, but not near as disappointing as losing, so I'll take it.
Long live Fort Lewis Mesa Library and Sunnyside Library and the Southwest LaPlata Library District, the nation's youngest, that will operate them. Now we simply need to do better job of engaging and winning over our entire rural community.

https://everylibrary.org

Students' Resource In Defense of Science

Unfortunately my time is limited, so it will take a while to get this new blogging effort, (which is basically a continuation of

whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com ), fully up and running.

Any feedback, or support, or networking would be appreciated.

citizenschallenge at gmail

(December, 2017)

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That was the plan, but it required a collaborative effort, that never happened, so it is what it is.

(April, 2021)

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Over a year ago, I was challenged to read Donald Hoffman's "Case Against Reality - Why Evolution Hid the Truth from our Eyes." In the book professor Hoffman starts out proclaiming he is doing serious science, when in fact, what followed was shear fanciful pipe dreaming. Science by storytelling, misdirection, disingenuous logic, all the while misrepresenting physical facts.

I found the book deeply offensive, only to discover it was a rather popular thing out on the internet, with Hoffman having countless lectures available on YouTube. Just what the world needs, more delusional thinking.

A short report was expected. But, the book was chapter after chapter of deception under cover of new age philosophizing. Reading through it I realized I was dealing with yet another very smart thinker who'd fallen so in love with his own ideas, that he literally got lost within his Mindscape, becoming blind to the constraints of disciplined science and physical reality itself.

Instead of a short report, I built up a detailed chapter by chapter examination - flagging specific quotes for critique. Including lists of references back to scientific sources, for those who want to better understand what science has to offer.

Then I decided to build a lesson plan of sorts for an imaginary classroom of students studying the art of scientific deception. People who are sick and tired of serious science being trampled by disingenuous showmen out for fame and fortune.

Students who are trying to figure out how to better recognize strategic deception in action. I don't have any answers, this is an introduction and these pages will help you better understand your own efforts and perhaps inspire some winning strategies of your own.

(Could also help you with a homework project, if you're in a pinch.)

(April, 2021)

Confronting Science Contrarians

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Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Diary, 11/5/19 - Small Victories, USA's newest Library District