Dr. Ben Carson
By Elaine Magliaro
Dr. Ben Carson, a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is a retired neurosurgeon. He is reportedly the first surgeon to have successfully separated conjoined twins that were joined at the head. When he was thirty-three-years-old, “he became the youngest major division director in Johns Hopkins history, as director of pediatric neurosurgery. He was also a co-director of the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial Center.” Dr. Carson was educated at Yale and at the University of Michigan Medical School. Carson is, obviously, an intelligent, well-educated, accomplished individual.
This weekend, Dr. Carson suggested “that religion was necessary for testing scientific theories because the science could be ‘propaganda.’” In an appearance earlier today on Meet the Press, NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Carson “how science could coexist with his conservative Christian principles.” Carson responded, “A person’s religious beliefs are the things that make them who they are, gives them a direction in their life. But I do not believe that religious beliefs should dictate one’s public policies and stances.”
Carson continued by saying, “I find, a very good measure of correlation between my religious beliefs and my scientific beliefs — people say, how can you be a scientist, how can you be a surgeon if you don’t believe in certain things?” he continued. “Maybe those things aren’t scientific. Maybe it’s just propaganda.”
Christina Wilkie (Huffington Post) said that Carson, who is a Seventh-day Adventist, “is an outspoken creationist who openly questions evolutionary theory.” She added that Carson “also denies that climate change is real, a view that puts him at odds with the vast majority of the scientific community.”
SOURCES
Ben Carson: Religion is needed to interpret science because ‘maybe it’s just propaganda’ (Raw Story)
Ben Carson Defends Obama But Not Evolution (Huffington Post)
Ben Carson (Wikipedia)
Nicole Plyler Fisk
Gene Howington
FFS Guest Blogger
Joy of Fishes
Chuck Stanley
shortfinals
Terry Welshans
ann li-summers
wordcloud9
Flowers For Socrates 
I know a thing or two about propaganda. I’m no schmuck when it comes to science either. I almost hurt myself laughing at Carson. And then I realized some poor bastard had this clown for a doctor.
Per OED:
propaganda /prɒpəˈɡandə/ n.,
1: [mass noun] Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view:
1.1: The dissemination of propaganda as a political strategy:
Contrast with (in relevant part) . . .
science /ˈsʌɪəns/ n.,
1: [mass noun] The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment:
1.1: A particular area of science:
1.2: A systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject:
Not even close to the same thing, Dr. Dumbass, but at least now we know who taught anatomy to Idaho state representative Vito Barbieri (R).
I think Carson hopelessly muddles the proper roles of science and religion (or, more properly, morality). Our view of reality should be informed by science. In particular, the likely effects of any policy should be judged scientifically. On the other hand, our policy goals should be informed by morality—we should decide what we are attempting to achieve based on what is morally right given the scientific realities of the situation.
Carson is clearly an apologist for those who would use religion to mask their attack on aspects of reality that they find inconvenient or unprofitable. Even more shameful, he supports policy goals which are at completely at odds with values demonstrated by Jesus, the man he claims to view as a god.
I fell out of my chair Gene! That was good!
1. “Our view of reality should be informed by science.”
2. Our morality should be informed by reality.
3. The reality is that man is a product of human evolution, and that religion is but an evolutionary adaptation that has probably outlived its usefulness.
4. What we need is a new, reality-based moral paradigm that can handle the issues of ever increasing demands on finite resources, inequitable distribution of resources including wealth, and the existential threat of climate change,
5. OR we’re all screwed and the best we can do is eat, drink, be merry, an f___ the grandkids.
Oro,
I know what you meant, but #5 just sounds wrong…
#4, on the other hand, is exactly on point.
Carson’s ability to compartmentalize his education, thus being able to deny evolution, is an example of people having unlimited powers of self deception. HIS God would have to be a sadist willing to plant false evidence in service of trapping them into Hell. I would want no part of a deity that mean.
I don’t think were screwed maybe not even our grandkids so much…BUT our greatgrand children…I can’t imagine what their world will be like and selfishly I am glad I can’t
Ben Carson’s creationist views spark controvery over commencement speech
By Valerie Strauss
5/8/12
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ben-carsons-creationist-views-spark-controvery-over-commencement-speech/2012/05/08/gIQAi0vsBU_blog.htm
Excerpt:
Carson has spoken publicly about his views on evolution and creationism, once telling a convention of the National Science Teachers: “Evolution and creationism both require faith. It’s just a matter of where you choose to place that faith.”
The letter says that Carson has made comments that suggest people who believe in evolution do not have ethics. In an article in the Adventist Review, Carson was quoted as saying, “By believing we are the product of random acts, we eliminate morality and the basis of ethical behavior.”
“For if there is no such thing as moral authority, you can do anything you want,” Carson was quoted as saying in the Review. “You make everything relative, and there’s no reason for any of our higher values.”
“For if there is no such thing as moral authority, you can do anything you want,” Carson was quoted as saying in the Review. “You make everything relative, and there’s no reason for any of our higher values.”
Unless the normative values of the group and the consequential code of ethics are evolutionary adaptations which, of course, they are. Now that might seem a little squishy, no absolute third party standards, but it seems to be better than standards based on the superstitions of a patriarchial stone-age society.
If you’re going to ride in the clown car, you have to toot the horn.
Ben Carson Says Prison Rape Is Proof That Homosexuality Is A Choice
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/03/04/3629469/ben-carson-prison-sex/
Excerpt:
In an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo Wednesday, Ben Carson argued that homosexuality is a choice, using sex in prisons as a primary example to prove his point.
Carson, who announced the first step toward a presidential bid Tuesday, told CNN that he “absolutely” believes homosexuality is optional. He said, “[A lot] of people who go into prison go into prison straight — and when they come out, they’re gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question.” He also maintained that states should be responsible for implementing same-sex marriage laws, as opposed to the federal government.