The New York Times recently reported that the State of Wyoming is the first state in the nation to reject new national standards for the teaching of science. The standards contain material on climate change. One Wyoming lawmaker said he wanted climate change “taught as a theory, not as a fact.” The lawmaker seemed to think that a scientific theory is no more than an opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Scientific theory is not an opinion and it is not a hunch. In science, a theory is a well substantiated explanation confirmed by observation and experimentation. Everyone is entitled to their opinion in matters of taste, such as which flavor of ice cream is best. However, in matters of science or public policy, all opinions are not equal. In these matters, someone’s opinion is subject to the rules of evidence and the rules of logic.
If people oppose, say, the idea of climate change, or evolution, or childhood vaccinations, other people have the right to counter their objections with evidence.
As the late Senator Daniel Moynihan (D-New York) used to say, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions; they are not entitled to their own facts!”
So, Wyoming leads the nation. The point is, if we follow Wyoming’s lead, I shudder to think where we will end up.
