Tom Bethell

{{pseudosciencenav}}
{{cquote|Liberals have [[Politicization of science|hijacked science]] for long enough. [[Lulz|Now it’s our turn.]]|||Original cover of the science ''PIG''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070701171804/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/waronscience.jpg Book cover capture.]</ref>}}
'''Tom Bethell''' is a senior editor at ''American Spectator'', "media fellow" at the Hoover Institution, and purveyor of just about every brand of [[wingnut]] [[pseudoscience]] you can name. 

His ultimate [[anti-science]] manifesto is the ''[[Regnery Publishing|Politically Incorrect Guide to Science]]'' (''PIGS''), a book-length exudation promoting [[intelligent design]], [[AIDS denial]], [[stem cell research|stem cell]] myths, [[anti-environmentalism]] (mostly concentrating on [[global warming]] [[denial]], the classic [[DDT]] and [[Rachel Carson]] [[canard]]s, the [[crank]] version of [[radiation hormesis]], and claiming that endangered species aren't really endangered), and [[cancer]] [[quack]]ery. The book is exceptional in that one could easily use the thing as a whole as well as each individual chapter to play some form of crank bingo or a [[skeptic]]al drinking game (if you really hate your liver). Many classic rhetorical gambits make an appearance: [[Science was wrong before]], the [[Galileo gambit]], the [[Evil Liberal Science Conspiracy]], "[[persecution complex|suppression]]" of 
crankery
 "innovative" and "[[Conservative correctness|politically incorrect]]" ideas, [[science]] as a [[secular religion]], the [[Gish Gallop]], etc. The unifying theme is Bethell's [[conspiracy theory|conspiratorial]] perspective in which [[big science|the scientific establishment]] is constantly sidelining [[bullshit|"politically incorrect" dissent]] in order for scientists to prop up [[liberal]] ideology and make off with mountains of grant money.

Each topic covered also includes all the relevant [[PRATT|greatest hits]]. On [[evolution]], for example, all the old chestnuts are there: No [[transitional fossil]]s, [[irreducible complexity]], [[microevolution]] not [[macroevolution]], [[Karl Popper]]'s declaration of the theory as [[falsifiability|unfalsifiable]], etc. If ye shall know them by their citations, it's predictable fare; Bethell's "[[crank|qualified experts]]" include the usual suspects at the [[Discovery Institute]] ([[William Dembski|Dembski]], [[Michael Behe|Behe]], and [[Jonathan Wells|Wells]]), [[Peter Duesberg]], [[S. Fred Singer]], [[Steve McIntyre]], [[Michael Crichton]], [[Roy Spencer]], the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]], and [[Petr Beckmann]].  *catches breath*

While [[relativity denial]] doesn't appear in the science 
OINK
 ''PIG'', it is the topic of Bethell's later book ''Questioning [[Einstein]]: Is Relativity Necessary?'' in which he recycles Beckmann's arguments.<ref>[http://spectator.org/archives/2009/09/17/can-we-do-without-relativity# Can We Do Without Relativity?], Bethell in ''American Spectator''</ref>

==See also==
*[[Crank magnetism]]
*[[List of quotes appealing to authority used by creationists]]
*[[Fun:Creationist Argument Bingo|Creationist Argument Bingo]]
*[[Fun:Global warming denial Bingo|Global Warming Denial Bingo]]

==External links==
*[http://spectator.org/archives/2005/12/01/politically-incorrect-science# His bullshit] 
*[https://spectator.org/author/tombethell/ Some more of his bullshit at ''American Spectator'']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111108121815/http://www.hoover.org/publications/hoover-digest/by-author/10655 Bethell's articles at the Hoover Institution]
*[http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig6/setliff2.html Interview with Bethell] at [[Lew Rockwell|LRC]]
*[http://crookedtimber.org/2008/03/05/the-republican-war-on-science-tierney-and-bethell/ The Republican War on Science: Tierney and Bethell], Crooked Timber
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080416221300/http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/02/tom_bethell_cries.php Tom Bethell Cries], [[PZ Myers]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070914204434/http://scienceblogs.com/goodmath/2007/09/relativistic_crap_from_an_idis.php Relativistic crap from an IDist], Good Math, Bad Math
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110214162554/http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2011/02/the-theory-of-relativity-is-it-time-to-teach-the-controversy-in-americas-high-schools.html The Theory of Relativity: Is It Time to "Teach the Controversy" in America's High Schools?], Brad DeLong
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312070307/http://johnwfarrell.blogspot.com/2010/03/tom-bethell-and-romance-of-scientific.html Tom Bethell and the Romance of Scientific Heresy], by John W. Farrell
*Evolutionblog: [https://web.archive.org/web/20060303015603/http://evolutionblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/fisking-bethell.html Fisking Bethell], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060505150117/http://evolutionblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/tautology-objection.html The Tautology Objection], [https://web.archive.org/web/20051214123137/http://evolutionblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/more-bethell-bashing.html More Bethell Bashing], [https://web.archive.org/web/20051221090023/http://evolutionblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/on-cranks-and-playbooks.html On Cranks and Playbooks], [https://web.archive.org/web/20100330133121/http://scienceblogs.com/evolutionblog/2007/05/more_nuggets_from_town_hall.php More Nuggets from Town Hall]
*[http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2006/02/10/post-3/ Tara Smith debunks the AIDS chapter in the science ''PIG'']
*Chris Mooney has extensively detailed Bethell's nonsense:
**[http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/upping_the_anti Review of the science ''PIG'' in ''Skeptical Inquirer'']
**[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5490898 Mooney and Bethell debate] on [[NPR]]
**Intersection: [https://web.archive.org/web/20060114044943/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/01/the_blessing_of_amazoncom_revi.php The Blessing of Amazon.com Reviews], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060125020611/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/01/libertarians_v_bethell.php Libertarians v. Bethell?], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060209032109/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/02/bethell_backing_down_on_relati.php Bethell Backing Down on Relativity?], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060619215748/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/06/tom_bethell_on_global_warming.php Choice Quotes on Global Warming], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060620182553/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/06/tom_bethell_on_evolution_some.php Choice Quotes on Evolution], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060620182610/http://scienceblogs.com/intersection/2006/06/tom_bethell_on_science_policy.php Choice Quotes on Science Policy], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091111174451/http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/11/09/bethell-questions-einstein-not-kidding/ Bethell Questions Einstein, Not Kidding], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091111174501/http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/11/10/conservative-dustup-over-relativity-denialism/ Conservative Dustup Over Relativity Denialism], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091115104159/http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/11/12/dont-forget-shakespeare-denialism Don't Forget Shakespeare Denialism]

==References==
{{reflist|1|80%}}

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[[Category:Cancer woo]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Creationists]]
[[Category:Denialists]]
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:HIV/AIDS]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Political pundits]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]
[[Category:Pseudophysics promoters]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:War on science]]

Categories: Cancer woo, Conspiracy theorists, Crank magnetism, Creationists, Denialists, Global warming denialists, HIV/AIDS, Journalists, Living people, Political pundits, Pseudoscience promoters, Pseudophysics promoters, Right-wing activists, War on science