In a NYT Op-Ed piece appearing today Paul Krugman posits that “the odds are that one of these years the world’s greatest nation will find itself ruled by a party that is aggressively anti-science, indeed anti-knowledge. And, in a time of severe challenges—environmental, economic, and more—that’s a terrifying prospect.”

Krugman points to Republican presidential front-runners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney as leaders in the increasingly “anti-science party,” writing

Mr. Perry, the governor of Texas, recently made headlines by dismissing evolution as “just a theory,” one that has ‘got some gaps in it’—an observation that will come as news to the vast majority of biologists. But what really got peoples’ attention was what he said about climate change: “I think there are a substantial number of scientists who have manipulated data so that they will have dollars rolling into their projects. And I think we are seeing almost weekly, or even daily, scientists are coming forward and questioning the original idea that man-made global warming is what is causing the climate to change.”

That’s a remarkable statement — or maybe the right adjective is “vile.”

Is “vile” the appropriate word?  As new voters and researchers in training, you will be tasked with making some challenging decisions in the coming years as you work to reconcile your political opinions and scholarly positions.  My challenge to you is to stay informed as you develop into the scholars and leaders who will have the power to change the world.  For the full text of Krugman’s article continue reading…