The GOP base and the crazies of the Religious Right loved to talk about mythical"American Exceptionalism" - even as they (especially the latter) work tirelessly to drag the nation back to a 13th century level of science and knowledge through their quest for the supremacy of "intelligent design" and other bullshit disguises for creationism and a strong anti-science mindset. These folks would rather cling to the false certainty of their whacked out religious beliefs than deal with objective reality - and yes, the its attendant uncertainties that go with it. Meanwhile, other parts of the world are surging forward. Particularly China which by the estimates of Great Britain's Royal Society will surpass the USA in science achievement within roughly 2 years. That's right, as the GOP and its religious extremist and know nothing base seek to rush backwards in time and knowledge, China is moving to seize the future. It is yet another example of those who would claim to be "saving the nation" actually be the main forces behind its decline. Here are some highlights from the BBC (source of the chart above):
*
China is on course to overtake the US in scientific output possibly as soon as 2013 - far earlier than expected. That is the conclusion of a major new study by the Royal Society, the UK's national science academy. The country that invented the compass, gunpowder, paper and printing is set for a globally important comeback. An analysis of published research - one of the key measures of scientific effort - reveals an "especially striking" rise by Chinese science.
*
[T]his study shows that China, after displacing the UK as the world's second leading producer of research, could go on to overtake America in as little as two years' time. "Projections vary, but a simple linear interpretation of Elsevier's publishing data suggests that this could take place as early as 2013," it says.
*
Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, chair of the report, said he was "not surprised" by this increase because of China's massive boost to investment in R&D.
Chinese spending has grown by 20% per year since 1999, now reaching over $100bn, and as many as 1.5 million science and engineering students graduated from Chinese universities in 2006.
*
The report stresses that American research output will not decline in absolute terms and raises the possibility of countries like Japan and France rising to meet the Chinese challenge. "But the potential for China to match American output in terms of sheer numbers in the near to medium term is clear."
*
Some historians blame the rise of Christianity in part for the fall of ancient Rome. It will certainly be a strange irony if toxic conservative Christianity plays a major role in the fall of the USA in coming years. Being abjectly ignorant by choice is not something to be proud of by my reckoning. Indeed, it's an insult to God (if there is one) who gave humans intelligence and an ability to reason and use their intelligence. Yet, a refusal to use reason and intelligence are today's hallmark of conservative Christians.
*
China is on course to overtake the US in scientific output possibly as soon as 2013 - far earlier than expected. That is the conclusion of a major new study by the Royal Society, the UK's national science academy. The country that invented the compass, gunpowder, paper and printing is set for a globally important comeback. An analysis of published research - one of the key measures of scientific effort - reveals an "especially striking" rise by Chinese science.
*
[T]his study shows that China, after displacing the UK as the world's second leading producer of research, could go on to overtake America in as little as two years' time. "Projections vary, but a simple linear interpretation of Elsevier's publishing data suggests that this could take place as early as 2013," it says.
*
Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, chair of the report, said he was "not surprised" by this increase because of China's massive boost to investment in R&D.
Chinese spending has grown by 20% per year since 1999, now reaching over $100bn, and as many as 1.5 million science and engineering students graduated from Chinese universities in 2006.
*
The report stresses that American research output will not decline in absolute terms and raises the possibility of countries like Japan and France rising to meet the Chinese challenge. "But the potential for China to match American output in terms of sheer numbers in the near to medium term is clear."
*
Some historians blame the rise of Christianity in part for the fall of ancient Rome. It will certainly be a strange irony if toxic conservative Christianity plays a major role in the fall of the USA in coming years. Being abjectly ignorant by choice is not something to be proud of by my reckoning. Indeed, it's an insult to God (if there is one) who gave humans intelligence and an ability to reason and use their intelligence. Yet, a refusal to use reason and intelligence are today's hallmark of conservative Christians.
No comments:
Post a Comment