Progressive and independent thinkers need scientific and intellectual rigor across the board

A couple of things, one recent on a blog, another an ongoing issue which involves some degree of generalization, but not, I believe, stereotyping, will illustrate my point.

The generalization first.

I made my first contribution to a political party, rather than an activist group or an individual candidate, earlier this year. That party? The Green Party.

Green Party members in particular, and "greens" in general, insist that President Bush and BushCo should take note of the vast amount of scientific evidence and modeling underscoring the fact that man-made global warming exists and is a growing problem.

BUT, when it comes to something like, say, alternative medicine, scratch a "green," or more likely a Green, and you're likely to see a stereotypical New Ager get uncovered. There's little to no scientific evidence in favor of most the more benign forms of, and claims about, alternative medicine/healing, and plenty of empirical evidence and logical deduction against the more extreme claims.

Now, the more specific instance.

A post at The Oil Drum yesterday discussed a Grist interview with Michael Pollan, author of "The Carnivore's Dilemma." In reader comments, people discussed his idea about whether high-fructose corn syrup, especially as tied to government subsidies, was that much to blame for obesity, and whether from the perspective of a group like The Oil Drum, he couldn't have done more to address the energy investment in modern corporatized agriculture. All well and good.

But then, one reader, whose handle I won't mention, essentially became religiously evangelical about a vegan diet and lifestyle. That's fine, too, if you don't make claims either for vegan eating or against a meat-inclusive diet that either aren't scientificially substantiated or have actually been disproven.

However, he proceeded to do just that.

Again, intellectual rigor cannot logically be compartmentalized.

If done so un/subconsciously, it calls for a person to increase one's self-awareness.

If done so consciously, it's hypocritical.