Positive Liberty

Jonathan Adler’s discussion of Chris Mooney’s book The Republican War on Science looks very interesting. I hope it receives some respectful consideration. It’s very unfortunate (if often understandable) that so many scientifically literate and otherwise intelligent people regard all Republicans as thoughtless barbarians and semi-literate Bible-thumpers. That sort of stereotyping and smugness is just what liberals claim to detest…until they practice it themselves. Obviously political manipulation of science is a bad thing (and absolutely inevitable as long as scientists accept money from government and seek to influence policy choices). But to portray it as a product of the inherent ignorance of all conservatives, or to use some genuine scientific illiteracy among conservatives (e.g., creationism) as proof that anyone who believes in small government must be a knuckle-dragging moron is counterproductive. Worse, it’s unscientific.