Bad Science

There are a great many examples of how religion has failed human kind. Starvation, wars, disease and bad luck. "How can an all loving God let these things happen"? Is the usual refrain.

Based on this logic, many people, understandably so, look to science for answers to human problems. Just as religion was used by unsavory characters to derive power and control over people, so can science be used to exact the same results.

I'll concede that with modern techniques and tools, science is indeed a more reliable and comprehensive way to answer the questions of the universe. All I ask is that all good people regard scientific conclusions with the same scrutiny as they do with religion. Most scientific analysis and conclusions are peer reviewed and are quite reliable for most situations. However, there are many studies that give conflicting results across a broad spectrum of subjects.

In Canada, Scotland and many other countries Bovine Growth Hormone is considered unsafe according to peer reviewed scientific studies. Yet, in the USA it was found safe despite growing scientific data that shows it is clearly not. This kind of reminds me of how religions always seem to divide themselves into different denominations, depending on socioeconomic reasons.

This week in Ottawa, eighty thousand households have been told that we will not be able to water our gardens, top off our swimming pools and hot tubs or wash our cars until sometime in August.
If we don't comply the system will depressurize and cause our water to become unusable. Fines are stiff, between five hundred dollars and one hundred thousand dollars.

This will be manageable if the pressure stays stable, if however it fails, eighty thousand homes without potable water would be a huge disaster. So no flowers, backyard gardens and green grass this year at Letemdangle's home. My wild garlic green onions have just started to grow, I think I'll cheat a little to save them.

So what has caused this inconvenience and potential disaster in my neck of the woods? Science. You see in 1976 the city installed brand new top o' da line, laboratory tested and certified water lines. Scientifically tested to last  between fifty to one hundred years. Now keep in mind the original water lines were constructed of wood and time tested to last one hundred years, there are still some still working just fine here in Ottawa.

The scientific analysis and testing was out by about  fifteen to sixty six years and a potential disaster is looming on the doorsteps of a hundred and fifty thousand residents. In contrast to some of the situations humans face around the world, this problem is small. We will deal with the worse possible outcome if it comes to pass.

I'm not trying to discount science or suggest it isn't the most important tool we have today. There is nothing better available to us. All I ask is always question what authority tells you as if it were a religion you didn't believe in. Just do it in an intelligent constructive way.

Reviews

[disconnectedspirit]

you need to understand that satan slips in..you sound very confused that satan does not creep in, like rape etc..he prowls man...you mention starvation, I am not being rude, but many issues around starvation is the fact that proper vegetation and gardening is not maintained