Month: February 2009

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Jonathan Krohn is a Hoax

This is not quite related to my usual theme, although I have been known to dabble in politics from time to time (and I guess the science of gender is inherently political).

Some of you may be following the “Wunderkind” story of Jonathan Krohn, alleged conservative “prodigy.” Huff Post has the story here. You can also find the Air America interview here. Lastly, to top it all off, the Mike Gallagher radio interview. Want Jonathan Krohn’s website? Here it is. If you don’t feel like clicking on links today, just watch the main video in question right here, on Science and Math Defeated, through the wonders of the Internet.

I am the first to call hoax. You can see multiple other videos on Youtube. My basic reason are as follows:

1) His views, influences, and biography are all stereotypical. He’s homeschooled, he “got into politics” through being anti-Democrat during the Clinton era and listening to talk radio. On top of all this he was homeschooled.

2) His words are virtually empty. He claims conservativism is founded upon “four principles” which are an ad hoc collection of contermporary American issues. Nothing to do with, for example, Edmund Burke.

3) In one interview he is asked who is favorite philosopher is and he says Ronald Reagan.

4) His book is virtually impossible to find or purchase online except through his website.

5) The explanatory hypothesis of him being a child actor parodying the conservative movement has much explanatory force. It explains his high level of articulation and poor level of substance. Plus, his repetition of his most inane talking points no matter what question he is asked. Most importantly, he is a child actor!

We’ll see if I turn out to be right on this. I think I will, because I turn out to be right on everything!

Others whose hoax existence makes it possible that this is a hoax: Daxflame, Martin Eisenstadt, Andy Kaufman, Joaquin Phoenix, Ann Coulter.

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Charles Darwin’s Birthday; Obama’s Age of Reason; The Tunnel at the End of the Light

Consider this a more substantive follow-up to my previous post.

There is much self-congratulation going on in the scientific community these days. Just after CNN dealt a potential death blow to the field, Obama’s eerily populist inaugural speech proclaimed the coming omnipotence of “science,” using the positively monarchical language of putting it in its “rightful place.” Lion King, anyone? Perhaps Obama’s technocratic fantasy comes from reading too much Al Gore. As if this wasn’t enough to stimulate the egos of American scientists, Charles Darwin then went and had his 200th birthday. This has caused the biological community to engage in the most grotesque display of public intellectual masturbation I have ever seen. There aren’t enough words in the English language to hyperlink to every story which concerns itself solely with this completely insignificant and, frankly, morbid event. Honestly, the man has already ruined science education for the last 200 years – isn’t it time to let him rest in peace? Or, as my previous post demonstrated, pieces?

But one has to wonder how scientists could be so happy in a time like this. For one thing, global warming turns out to be way worse, and according to scientists, no amount of “hope” or “change” is going to stop it. Great. So during the coming apocalypse, scientists will be cheerful. Why? Because Obama has appointed them to positions of power.

And if that isn’t cynical and nihilistic enough for you, it turns out that the high priest of the New Physics, Stephen Hawking, is transforming into an Uncle Tom for the whole field. Apparently Hawking’s physical condition is finally catching up to him – he realizes what a pity it would be to waste his life following a sham subject. “Theory of Everything,” please. Leave theat to the theologians. I guess on this issue I have to declare my rare agreement with Hawking. But don’t think for a minute that this will stop the influence of Iranian sympathizer and collaborator Brian Greene. Apparently Hawking is going to make an announcement about his new-found nihilism to his colleagues. We’ll see how that goes. It looks like the meeting is going to include a full cast of ridiculous characters, including Nima Arkani-Hamed. Neverminding his obvious sympathies and collaborations, this ex-Professor works for the bizarrely non-descript “Institute for Advanced Studies.” Talk about a potential front. And what does he do there? He publishes ludicrous parodies of real science such as:

“The Minimal Moose for a Little Higgs”

“Ghost Condensation and a Consistent Infrared Modification of Gravity”

and worst of all:

“A Theory of Dark Matter”

Just think. This is where billions of your dollars are going to go in order to “stimulate” the economy. Are they going to help poor people get jobs? No. They are going to help an Iranian crank study moose, ghosts, and imaginary matter he (and everyone else) can’t even see.