Kicking the Sacred Cow

James P. Hogan0-7434-8828-8

Galileo may have had to recant his opinion that the Earth moves around the Sun, but in the end, science carried the day. Nowadays capital-S Science fearlessly pursues truth, refusing to bow to dogma, shining the pure light of reason on the mysteries of the universe, and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos. Or does it? It makes a good public relations release, but as bestselling author James P. Hogan demonstrates in this fact-filled and thoroughly documented study, science has its own roster of hidebound dogmas and ex cathedra pronouncements which are Not to be Questioned. Acceptance of evolutionary theory is usually treated as a battle between enlightened Darwinists and ignorant fundamentalists, but Hogan shows that there are many problems with the standard theory of evolution that have nothing to do with religion. Other dogma-laden subjects he examines include: global warming, the big bang, problems with relativity, radon and radiation, holes in the ozone layer, the cause of AIDS, and the controversy over Velikovsky’s cosmology. In each case, Hogan explains the basics of the controversy in his usual clear, informative style, making for a book that will be fascinating for any layperson with an interest in the frontiers of modern science.