Old ideas die hard! When Pasteur published his experiments, the disproof of the model of spontaneous generation was not considered valid by all. This is an article that was published in protest. We have similar polemics today with respect to many politically "incorrect" issues, among which are global warming, tobacco smoking and cancer, effects of pesticides, effects alcohol, population growth of humans, and many others. In the public eye, controversy is considered to an illustration that a status quo response is needed, or that the "new" claims are inadequate because they cannot "prove" anything. It is important to remember that SCIENCE NEVER PROVES anything! Only models are disproved. One selects among the alternative explanations (models) and may feel highly confident that it is "correct" and use supporting scientific evidence to "prove" the conclusion. This arguement is not science at work! It is rhetoric. Most controversies are surrounded with a fundamental misunderstanding of scientific activities and conclusions.
Read this article to understand how one of many basic questions are debated under the label of "science." Rhetoric hides many examples of Paradigm Paralysis!
Maintained by Dick Richardson
d.richardson@mail.utexas.edu
Last updated 01/20/04