Michael Crichton on Consensus Science

2 Corinthians 10:12
“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

Darwinists and climate-change alarmists are frequently heard to say that their respective topics are  a matter of “settled science.” They use this term to silence critics. But is this how science is supposed to work? The late Dr. Michael Crichton, best known as the author of Jurassic Park, didn’t think so.

In a lecture he gave at CalTech in 2003, Crichton said, “I regard consensus science as an extremely pernicious development that ought to be stopped cold in its tracks. Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you’re being had.”

Dr. Crichton wasn’t done. “Let’s be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus.

“There is no such thing as consensus science,” he added. “If it’s consensus, it isn’t science. If it’s science, it isn’t consensus. Period.”

Creation Moments only wishes that more scientists would heed the words of evolutionist Michael Crichton. So the next time someone starts talking about consensus, share today’s message with them, won’t you?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, through faith I know that Your Word is true, no matter how many or few there are who believe it! Amen.

Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/Publications/PDF_Papers/Crichton2003.pdf. “Aliens Cause Global Warming,” Caltech Michelin Lecture, 1/17/03. Photo: Author, physician, screenwriter and film director Michael Crichton (1942-2008) speaking at Harvard in 2002. Courtesy of Jon Chase photo/Harvard News Office. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)

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