Bill Maher & pseudoscience

[Beeazlebub]

I watch Maher from time to time on HBO because he's funny & occasionally provides an interesting perspective on various issues. This week, however, he & most of his panel went off the rails of rationality when it comes to vaccinations, GMOs, and global warming.

I generally give conservatives a hard time about their anti-science stance on issues like global warming or evolution, but Maher is an excellent example of an anti-science liberal. The vice-like grip ideology has upon our world view never ceases to amaze.


Maher believes himself to be the real pro-science advocate. He is about
as wrong as wrong can be. He is anti-vaccine, anti-"Western medicine,"
and in general antiscience, except for a limited number of areas of
science that fit in with his ideological biases. As such, he's an object
lesson in how one can be intelligent and anti-science at the same time.
He's also an object lesson in how being an atheist and being
pro-science are related only by coincidence. I had thought that Maher
might have been sufficiently chastened by the spanking he received in
2009 and 2010 about his antivaccine stylings. Apparently five years have
been enough time for his antivaccine freak flag to fly again.

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/02/09/after-five-years-bill-maher-lets-his-antivaccine-freak-flag-fly-again/

 

[qazplm]

agree

Maher gets off on some weird rants. Definitely dumb takes on all three issues, and showing he only likes science when it gives him answers that fit his belief system.

 

[beardownboiler]

Originally posted by Beeazlebub:
I watch Maher from time to time on HBO because he's funny & occasionally provides an interesting perspective on various issues. This week, however, he & most of his panel went off the rails of rationality when it comes to vaccinations, GMOs, and global warming.

I generally give conservatives a hard time about their anti-science stance on issues like global warming or evolution, but Maher is an excellent example of an anti-science liberal. The vice-like grip ideology has upon our world view never ceases to amaze.


Maher believes himself to be the real pro-science advocate. He is about
as wrong as wrong can be. He is anti-vaccine, anti-"Western medicine,"
and in general antiscience, except for a limited number of areas of
science that fit in with his ideological biases. As such, he's an object
lesson in how one can be intelligent and anti-science at the same time.
He's also an object lesson in how being an atheist and being
pro-science are related only by coincidence. I had thought that Maher
might have been sufficiently chastened by the spanking he received in
2009 and 2010 about his antivaccine stylings. Apparently five years have
been enough time for his antivaccine freak flag to fly again.

And yet, this guy decides that he needs to tell everyone how stupid religion is. I've never been a big fan of is, because he claims to represent liberalism, but is just an ass.

 

[qazplm]

well

actually, he asserts he's a libertarian so I don't think he claims to represent liberals.

You can argue whether he is or isn't, but what he claims is libertarian.

 

[beardownboiler]

Re: well

Link

 

[qazplm]

my own links

http://www.salon.com/2001/08/01/maher_4/
http://reason.com/blog/2013/04/06/is-bill-maher-right-that-libertarians-ha

There's a few more out there.

You've been described as a libertarian.
I'm a libertarian.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/checking-in-with-bill-maher-in-1999-20110413#ixzz3ROBgB2DG

Follow us: RollingStone on Facebook


So perhaps he switches his thoughts depending on the audience, I don't know, but everything I've heard/seen was that he considered himself a libertarian first and foremost.

This post was edited on 2/10 6:47 PM by qazplm

 

[beardownboiler]

Re: my own links

I'm not saying you're wrong. In just saying I've heard him say liberal. Regardless, I'm not a fan of his.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

This post was edited on 2/11 2:35 PM by beardownboiler

 

[Casey and his Brother]

Re: my own links

He used to say that he was a libertarian years ago (mostly, I'm guessing due to the legalized drug issue, and that alone). However, when you give Barack Obama a million bucks, I don't think you're trying to fool anyone any more.




This post was edited on 2/11 1:39 PM by Casey and his Brother