P.Z. Myers: Speaking truth to absurdity

This is a fascinating presentation about the value of education as a provocative, challenging experience. If science education is to flourish, it requires an unwavering commitment to rational discourse and principle; social and religious mores have no place in this environment and P.Z. illustrates how avoiding theological offense leads to institutional paralysis and fails the teacher as well as the student.

Speaking truth to absurdity: Why science education needs vocal atheists.

PZ Myers is a biologist and
associate professor at
University of Minnesota

P.Z. Myers has been told many times that atheists are scary, and that they frighten moderate god-believers away from science ... and that it would be better to mute the expression of their views on religion in order to promote science, rather than godlessness. However, that atheism is a product of an honest appreciation of the evidence, of the logic of science, and of the folly of magical and superstitious thinking. 

The reason that atheists need to speak out even more loudly is that it is the only view that is true to the science, and that serves an even greater mission than science education: the encouragement of critical thinking in all matters in the populace. Besides, religion is just plain goofy.

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