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Ah, Mission statements. Every corporation and department seems to have one. Why would
I want to have one? Because it spells out clearly what I want to accomplish here and
gives me criteria for self-evaluation. It gives you a chance to tell me when I've drifted
off-message. It's how I know if I'm making any progress in pushing back the pseudoscience
and superstition.
So here it is, my mission statement: "To promote critical thinking, reason and
logic through the process of open investigation without prejudice, and to do so with compassion,
honesty and a recognition of the diversity of views."
Let me go over each of the phrases to clarify: "To promote critical thinking, reason and
logic" Notice that I make no reference to any particular
conclusions. I would like this channel not to be about atheism or conventionalist science
or a particular political viewpoint... I want it to be about the best process for arriving
at a reasonable and logical position. If we start out as advocates of any particular viewpoint,
say atheism for example, then we run the risk of allowing our conclusion to precede our
search. I don't want to exclude or ostracize anyone with a differing viewpoint, so long
as they arrive at it by a process of thoughtful examination and reasonable argument.
"through the process of open investigation without prejudice"
For each new project, I intend to present the evidence in a way that is only balanced
to the arguments or facts. I won't promise to give equal time to both sides of a debate
if the evidence seems to point in one direction. It would be the fallacy of false balance if
I did. I realize that it's never quite possible to remove my own biases from the equation
entirely, and I don't intend to hold back when I have my own perspective on an issue.
It's my channel, I'll give my opinions.
"and to do so with compassion, honesty and a recognition of the diversity of views"
I'll give everyone a chance to join a productive discussion, I'll be honest when I don't have
the answers or when I make a mistake, and I'll be compassionate for the suffering of
those affected by pseudoscience. This doesn't mean that I'll coddle peoples feelings, or
allow endless posted links to Internet pseudoscience sites, and I just don't respond to abuse or
insults. My mission is outreach, not debate or flamewars.
That's enough self-indulgent navel gazing. I promise to only do this once. I want to
end on one of my favorite quotes from Carl Sagan, from The Demon-Haunted World: "There
are no forbidden questions in science, no matters too sensitive or delicate to be probed,
no sacred truths. That openness to new ideas, combined with the most rigorous, skeptical
scrutiny of all ideas, sifts the wheat from the chaff. It makes no difference how smart,
august, or beloved you are. You must prove your case in the face of determined, expert
criticism. Diversity and debate are valued. Opinions are encouraged to contend -- substantively
and in depth."
Thanks for watching.