Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 13:48:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Santosh Helekar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > My experience in exposing misinformation is that facts rarely win out against a religious or political ideology from the standpoint of its aging adherents, no matter how intelligent, well-educated or well-read they may be. Once a bogus cause is co-opted by an ideology, the rational and evidence-based approach has a very slim chance of working against it. Ideology is more often than not much more powerful than reason. > Mario observes: > Though there are exceptions based on religious faith, true scientific facts, by definition, tend to prevail over time with intelligent, well-educated and well-read individuals. Otherwise they could hardly be described as intelligent, well-educated and well-read. > Only when the facts are in dispute, or if the political and economic actions that are being recommended or demanded based on established facts are in dispute, does a debate take place among the intelligent, the well-educated and the well-read. > However, there are typically some ideologues on either side of any debate who think they have a monoply on the true facts. Some will even go as far as to deny that there is a debate under way. >
