In Science I Trust...

I believe in science.

I believe in the scientific process.

I believe that large groups of scientists in agreement should be believed.

So that means that for now I believe that vaccines are safe and a boon to public health.

For now I believe that a large component of climate change is man made. Human exacerbated. Made worse by things we do. How ever you want to phrase it.

For now I believe that GMO's aren't bad for my health.

I say for now on all of those things because that's how science works. If new information comes along, and that new information makes a difference in what the studies show right now, and that new information causes the consensus of scientists studying that area to change their minds then I will also change mine.

Science isn't a dogma. It doesn't require you to have absolute belief in something no matter what. As new information comes in things can and do change. It doesn't mean the science was wrong. It doesn't mean you were wrong for believing it. It means that with what you knew at the time was the best decision to make. Science is flexible. But it's also practical. When large groups of scientists are in agreement the odds are very strong that the science is sound and should be believed.

I am more likely to agree with scientists who have studied an issue than with Judy whose cousin Freddy had a perfectly normal child until BOOM autism. And so vaccines. Am I right?

I am more likely to agree with climate scientists than with a congressman holding a snowball in chambers who also happens to be a benefactor of donations from Exxon. And for that matter I am more likely to be in agreement with climate scientists than I am with people trying to tell me that they are all part of a giant conspiracy to funnel money in to alternative energy while they ignore the fossil fuel industry pumping LARGE sums of money in to lobbying for fewer regulations and bad science.

I am more likely to agree with the medical profession who sees no difference in the nutritional value and no detriment to modified food than a non-modified food and no extra nutritional benefit to organic foods as a whole. Now I might still choose to eat organic due to other reasons, but I do understand that I am not getting a vegetable with more vitamins, I'm just getting one farmed in a different way.

And because I believe in science, I believe in all of the science. So when you mock a climate change denier but I know you are an anti-vaxxer I give you side eye. When you mock an anti-vaxxer and I know you are a non-GMO warrior I wonder which leg you think you are standing on. When you mock the non-GMO people but also think climate change is a myth meant to sell more solar panels I just shake my head. You are picking and choosing your science. You are saying these experts should be treated as experts but these guys? Total fraud and part of a giant conspiracy to keep us unhealthy, poor, cold? So I don't think you should mock one group of tin foil wearers while adjusting your own hat.

Now I get it. I have some things I believe that come across as pure hooey. For instance I believe the Universe talks to me. When I need to do something. When I am ignoring a problem. When something in my life needs to change, I believe I get signs from the Universe pointing it out. Now I will say that if we sit down and talk deeply about it I will tell you what I truly believe is that it is my subconscious noticing things and communicating with my conscious mind in such a manner that I don't notice it, but I notice it. My subconscious is chewing on a problem and is sending PAY ATTENTION signals to my conscious mind. The same way that you might pause for a second before stepping out in the street and suddenly a car comes whizzing past. You noticed it, but weren't aware of it, it happened so quickly. So your subconscious mind was saying, hey wait up here for a second and by the time your conscious mind noticed the car was by you and you were feeling like the Universe protected you. Yeah, it did. Through your own systems. It's just more mysterious for me to say I believe the Universe talks to me and so I phrase it that way.

So again, I believe the science. When the science changes I re-evaluate my beliefs and make changes as necessary. I don't believe in anecdotal evidence replacing scientifically sound studies. I try really hard not to argue with you about it, not because I think it's cool you believe hooey but because I understand that me telling you it's hooey isn't going to change your mind. I've been down that road a few times and I also have the scientific studies on belief systems to back me up.