Ben Carson denies climate change and tries to clarify his stance on evolution

[beam me up scottie]

Ben Carson denies climate change and tries to clarify his stance on evolution
October 4, 2015 by Dan Arel



Speaking in New Hampshire last week, GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson was asked by an audience member to clear up his stance on climate change and evolution.

“You don’t believe in evolution or climate change, I believe. And I was just wondering, do you seriously not believe that climate change is happening?” asked someone in attendance.

Carson first attempted to clear up his stance on climate change, showing that he doesn’t understand the evidence and causality of global climate change.

Is there climate change? Of course, there’s climate change. Any point in time, temperatures are going up or temperatures are going down. Of course, that’s happening. When that stops happening, that’s when we’re in big trouble.

The crowd applauded Carson’s ignorance before he turned his attention to evolution.

As far as evolution is concerned, you know, I do believe in micro-evolution, or natural selection, but I believe that God gave the creatures he made the ability to adapt to their environment. Because he’s very smart and he didn’t want to start over every 50 years.

It is important to remember that Carson is a retired neurosurgeon and a successful one at that. Yet he doesn’t know that micro and macro evolution are the same thing and that if he claims he accepts natural selection he must then accept both?


http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danthropology/2015/10/ben-carson-denies-climate-change-and-tries-to-clarify-his-stance-on-evolution

The stupid, it burns.

[Lordquinton]

1. His evolution comment isn't internally consistent

If god didn't want to start over, then he could have made them capable of withstanding any environment without the need for change.

[beam me up scottie]

2. How does his mind work that out???

I have tried to figure out how someone who is obviously intelligent can be so utterly and willfully ignorant.

How can you make yourself believe something so irrational?

[trusty elf]

5. Credo quia absurdum

Last edited Sun Oct 11, 2015, 08:33 AM - Edit history (1)

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[beam me up scottie]

6. Is that really a crab on a leash?

That guy is awesome!

[progressoid]

12. "someone who is obviously intelligent can be so utterly and willfully ignorant"

I think the same thing about many believers, although not to this extreme.

I know many people who are intelligent, sensible people except when addressing their beliefs. For whatever reason they have built an impenetrable wall for their beliefs. My Father is one. Former science teacher. Believes in evolution. Liberal Democrat. Supports marriage equality. Has read The Demon Haunted World and The God Delusion. Any still devoutly religious.

[beam me up scottie]

13. Carson goes even further, he's not just a believer he's a creationist.

A man with a medical degree is a science denier.

Did he lie his way through school or was he brainwashed after?

It blows my mind.


I guess I can understand people like your dad, the prospect of there not being an afterlife or a reason behind the chaos must be frightening.

[Old Crow]

3. I shouldn't, but I find this stunning.

Ignorance is everywhere, I know. But I still find myself somewhat amazed that someone running for the most powerful elected office on Earth should display this much stupidity about two of the most important issues in our time--and be applauded for it by an audience of dunces.

Heaven help us.

[beam me up scottie]

4. AND he was a neurosurgeon.

A BRAIN surgeon, a good one.

So this isn't your run of the mill homeschooled troglodyte.

To me that kind of disconnect is frightening - like he's been brainwashed.

[Old Crow]

7. Agreed.

And did you see the video where he reminisces about the good times he had while growing up by throwing rocks at cars? He told the story with seemingly no compunction whatsoever, no consideration that it was something to regret, no regard for the danger or property damage. Seriously: There is something not right in that man's head.

[beam me up scottie]

9. Well throwing rocks at cars isn't forbidden in the bible so it's nbd.

And that's the cream of the Republican crop this year.

[mr blur]

8. Wow. Just, wow. It's not brain surgery, for fuck's sake!

And to think there are some faitheists on DU who think that this guy is a "hero" and "lovable".

[beam me up scottie]

10. He's so dreamy.

I'd hate to see what they would think of Bush if they saw a romanticized movie about him.

Mr. mission accomplished with a cod piece would also be a lovable hero.

[onager]

11. Typical primary-season groveling for the far-right vote.

That's my guess. Fiorina is doing the same thing with Planned Parenthood. Even after it was PROVEN that a video of an "abortion" was actually a full-term baby, she not only refused to admit any wrong but doubled down. Kept insisting the video was PP torturing a fetus. And still is, AFAIK.

And that's from a woman who ran one of the world's top high-tech companies. Well, it was until she ran H-P into the grouod, anyway.

The GOP candidates have to do this every election cycle. It's part of the Lee Atwater/Karl Rove proven success strategy: run hard right for the primaries, then go more moderate for the general election.

The ONLY thing I like about the Tea Party nuts is - they have sorta dicked up that strategy. When the primaries are over now, they expect the candidate to keep being a troglodyte. And they'll scream bloody murder if he or she doesn't agree to all their goofy ideas. Unfortunately, some of them got elected to Congress...

[beam me up scottie]

14. I think he was batshit insane before the primary.

Now he's just pandering to the other loons who don't "believe" in evolution.

The only good thing about the Tea Party nuts getting into congress is that they're fighting with their slightly less nutty but equally regressive Republican brethren. The moral of that story is be careful what you wish for.

[AlbertCat]

15. Pandering

He obviously has never even thought about either subject... unless asked. Then he just parrots something he heard on RW radio.

I'd like to ask a REAL climate change question.

"Dr Carlson, you know of course that carbon isotopes only found from burning fossil fuels are a big contributing factor in Climate Change. My question is, do you even know what an isotope is?"




BTW.... ALL evolution is "micro-evolution"...a worthless and old defunct term.

[beam me up scottie]

16. You really expect him to get asked real questions?

Or answer them?

These guys rely on softball questions and carefully scripted public appearances.

I would love to see them perform in a debate answering questions from a panel of scientists.

In my dreams, I know.

[RussBLib]

17. pandering and ambition

Any GOP'er knows they have to pander to the morons that make up the base.

If not for the ambition, I wonder if they would be such blatant panderers? Probably not.