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Comment by justintrtle | Hacker News Reader

I usually take statements similar to "in this house, we believe science is real" as conveying the message that the people believe in the scientific method, rational inquiry, evidence-based arguments, etc, rather than a set of specific scientific theories.

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I mean, it's obviously a joke, right?

Also, the Simpsons did it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vxHkAQRQUQ

They are also usually the hardest to convince that coal plants release more radioactivity than nuclear plants.

In my experience, the people who proclaim this are generally not talking about the scientific method, but about specific theories. Generally evolution and climate change (and the safety of vaccination is becoming an issue as well). It's amazing for example how many of these people will turn around and believe hormone-replacement therapy creates a level playing field in sports between trans-women and cis-women.

I agree. Believing in science seems to imply "dogmatism for the 4 or 5 highly politicized scientific talking points in the mainstream narrative."

This is exactly right. The average non-scientist proclaiming his support for science is exactly that.

I don't see that as a bad thing. With religion, upwards of 90% of people don't really know shit about actual theology or anything of that nature (i.e. the reasoning behind beliefs). They just know some basic beliefs about their sect because their pastor told them so and their parents probably believing the same thing.

Similarly, wre can't really expect everyone to know or care why evolution/heliocentrism is a settled topic but it's really helpful for them to trust the scientific process regardless.

> trust the scientific process

This would be fine (mostly). But this isn't what they mean. They believe scientists. Not the methods. This defeats the entire purpose of science.

>It's amazing for example how many of these people will turn around and believe hormone-replacement therapy creates a level playing field in sports between trans-women and cis-women.

I find it hard to believe that you've found such a specific correlation in a domain where the numbers are large and half the equation is so nebulous ("these people", i.e. people who often say out loud "we believe in science in this household"??). This is ripe with identity politics, and you're almost certainly projecting your feelings about "those people" as though there is a real correlation that makes "those people" worthy of condemnation.

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