My colleague Mike LaChance reported on a conference being held at Harvard University on ‘Decolonizing Black Health,” including a session that included an homage to ‘indigenous knowledge.‘
Scholars at Concordia University are working to decolonize light — “advancing other ways of knowing about light, science and physics.” Courses will be developed in conjunction with Native scholars to “elevate” indigenous knowledge … while “Eurocentric” science is “de-centered” and “scrutinized for its alleged past and present contributions to colonialism.”
You know, the “Eurocentric” scientific “way of knowing” that brought us germ theory, antibiotics, and life expectancies that are close to 80.
As the elites in academia are moving away from support of the scientific method (consisting of systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses) to “non-traditional ways of knowing,” there has been a corresponding collapse in Americans’ trust in science and scientists. This trend is a marked turnaround from the respect once held for scientific institutions prior to the covid pandemic.
Overall, 57% of Americans say science has had a mostly positive effect on society. This share is down 8 percentage points since November 2021 and down 16 points since before the start of the coronavirus outbreak.About a third (34%) now say the impact of science on society has been equally positive as negative. A small share (8%) think science has had a mostly negative impact on society.When it comes to the standing of scientists, 73% of U.S. adults have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interests. But trust in scientists is 14 points lower than it was at the early stages of the pandemic.
This trend is unlikely to be reversed by Department of Health and Human Services scientific integrity policies blessing “Indigenous Knowledge” and DEI. The Washington Free Beacon obtained a copy, and it is rife with pseudoscience and prioritizes social justice.
The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could soon employ “Indigenous Knowledge” in their research, a document obtained by the Washington Free Beacon shows.The document is a proposed revision of scientific integrity guidelines for the Department of Health and Human Services, which encompasses the FDA, CDC, and the National Institutes of Health. Going forward, agency staff should employ “multiple forms of evidence, such as Indigenous Knowledge,” when analyzing data, the document states…..”A strong culture of scientific integrity begins with ensuring a professional environment that is safe, equitable, and inclusive,” the report says. “Issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are an integral component of the entire scientific process.”
As a reminder, the Biden White House published a whole page promoting the “indigenous way of knowing” that it is now foisting on the agencies that are suppose to be focused in key scientific policy issues: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institute of Health (NIH).
[The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) jointly released new government-wide guidance and an accompanying implementation memorandum for Federal Agencies on recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge in Federal research, policy, and decision making. This announcement coincides with the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2022 Tribal Nations Summit and responds to a 2021 OSTP-CEQ memorandum that called for development of the guidance with Tribal consultation and Indigenous community engagement, as well as agency, expert, and public inputIndigenous Knowledge is a body of observations, oral and written knowledge, innovations, practices, and beliefs developed by Tribes and Indigenous Peoples through interaction and experience with the environment. The Biden-Harris Administration has formally recognized Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge that contributes to the scientific, technical, social, and economic advancements of the United States and our collective understanding of the natural world.
I will admit some instances of indigenous knowledge have been useful for health and prosperity. A classic example is the chewing of willow bark to alleviate pain, which ties into the pain-relief properties associated with aspirin (a compound similar to the salicin found in the bark).
However, aspirin was developed using chemistry and tested with scientific rigor. It is also substantially more effective than willow bark.
I predict that the Biden administration will use whatever “indigenous knowledge” means for the day to promote the agenda item de jour in any agency in which science is critical. The policies, rules, and regulations will be liberty-crippling, economy-destroying, and detrimental to the health and well-being of all Americans.
My hypothesis: Trust is science will collapse even more quickly than it has already. I am not looking forward to collecting this data point.
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