Discussion with any person should always go with respect. Otherwise, the discussion turns into a fight. And the anger of man is always a sign of weakness.

"Please, remember the poem of Omar Khayyam

How long, how long, in infinite Pursuit

Of This and That endeavour and dispute?

Better be merry with the fruitful Grape

Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit".

We ought to carefully consider all sides of the argument before accepting them. The persuasive value of an argument or claim shouldn't outweigh its probative value, irrespective of our inherent biases. There is merit in just and rational evaluation.

Many persons are victims of gossips & they tend to accept them without questioning about the source of the rumors or the reasonableness of the stories. It is an old human illness which is now more facilitated by some media which thrive on sensational or scandalous news & sell more. As any disease, it needs a “remedial education” which includes teaching the public simple ways of confirmation & lips sealing before talking about received unproven stories. Otherwise, the consequences will be grave: devastation of innocent persons or marriages or families or countries.

Thank you Monica and Nizar. You make me feel better.

Discussion with any person should always go with respect. Otherwise, the discussion turns into a fight. And the anger of man is always a sign of weakness.

"Please, remember the poem of Omar Khayyam

How long, how long, in infinite Pursuit

Of This and That endeavour and dispute?

Better be merry with the fruitful Grape

Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit".

Dear Vladimir

Thank you for your nice comment. I love the poem of Omar Khayyam.

 i always listen to my heart and intuition. i never judge other people. and i am sure that with time the truth is here. i hate when people are placed in a box with a label. only god can judge people because god see their hearts. 

Yes, poems of genius are not forgotten.

"Myself when young did eagerly frequent

Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument

About it and about; but evermore

Came out by the same Door as in I went".

Scientists do not reject astrology, magic, the coincidences or extra-sensory perception because these are not simple descriptions of the observed facts. The human ingenuity could devise no more involved description than that given by the proven theories of science .

That depends on how one perceive? Better use rationale and reflective thinking. Judge the situation and other one by using your experience.

Humanity evolved from mistakes. Humanity evolved correcting their mistakes and the mistakes of others. I believe that one should not make mistakes deliberately, knowing that behind this problem.

Dear Krishnan

Scientists shuld always rely on systematic approach to the matter. Hunches never considered fact unless accepted by evidences. Perception also is not a concrete budiscrete. Thank you all for fruitful participation.

Thank you all for your nice participation

@ Hashem

I agree that Scientist should follow scientific and proven principles, test and evaluate etc., however there are many more areas which are yet to be even touched by science. 

Though I am not advocating... for an instance of argument.

Astrology, clearly predicts (there is some SIMPLE calculations not openly taught to common people), that an occurrence of Solar or lunar eclipse and even time is accurate (printed on calendars or "panchangams", which scientists make with computing devices on futuristic calculations with all big equipment (enclosed a link)

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/grahan/

I agree that one should not believe in heresay. With modern technology rumor and gossip can travel faster than sound. Few years back in India some one started a story that Lord Ganesh is drinking milk  and there were ques in the country and elsewhere to offer milk to Ganesh!!

As Krishnan has remarked there are certain beliefs which yet to be tested by scientific methods. Apart from the calculations mentioned by him rest  of the astrology seems to be more or less  statistics.

ResearchGate is an inappropriate forum for religious discussion!

Period!

Dear Tobias

I respect your opinion but we are not discussing religious point. I cite Aya from Quran that is similar to those who cites poem or widom from various books.

Dear Paul

You made it clear enough more than I. Thanks.

Dear Hashem,

Thank you for the question. Paul is of course right when he speaks of RG being a forum where open minded discussion can take place. If a religious comes up we should be the models that others strive for when controversial questions are raised as to the civil discourse we partake in.

Regarding the question at hand, I have one view of those who speak and those who listen to hearsay, gossip, slander, or lies. That is grow up, we need adults to solve the problems, lead advancement, and strive for a better tomorrow.

 Old Lady Gossip is a mean old gal;

All kinds of trouble she causes!

You'll find her in homes; wherever she roams,

In her work she never pauses.

Nothing can give her more joy and more glee,

Than to start an untrue story

That will smirch the name of a gent or dame,

For it covers her with glory.

~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, "Old Lady Gossip" (1940s)

There is so much good in the worst of us,

And so much bad in the best of us,

That it hardly becomes any of us

To talk about the rest of us.

~Edward Wallis Hoch

There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true. ~Winston Churchill

Douglas

What is widely accepted becomes true! it is our rule as scientists, academics, and researchers to change the widely held concepts into those that are correctly grounded in science and logic!

Intelligent people do not listen to gossips and rumors. They are able to analyze the case, the fact or the matter and make their own opinion.  Only meaningless people with weak level of intelligence do care with rumors or sensational stories for the purpose to fill up their calendar of life time. Busy people haven't time to listen to rumors.

Adding to the brilliant analysis of Professor Paul Yarnold, the academics have been & will always be targets for any dictator. The "Prince" or the "big brother" will use  all the means to follow up " every breath you take, every move you make...as the song says!". Despots do not tolerate any one who points the finger to their wrongdoing & they simply think of themselves as semi-Gods who do not err & that they ought to be considered "above criticism".

Under time Constraints

People sometimes find themselves accepting what they're told without sufficient testing. It's not that they don't want to be critical, but they do not always have time to check everything told.

Bob Passantino (1990), Fantasies, Legends and Heroes- What You Know May Not Be So and How To Tell The Difference

Dear friends

I thank all of you for your diverse contributions to this question. I haven't expect it will lead to stimulate your discussion to various issues.

Dear Hashem,

History is full of conquers who have gone after academics, burned books, tortured, arrested, and forced to recant their conclusions. I would suggest sense from the hemlock of Socrates, the burning at the stake of Bruno, house arrest of Galileo, the excommunication of Spinoza, the Churches black listing of books through Hitler's book burning, and the controlling of who's educated in Afghanistan all have pointed to the fear of an educated population is to the ruler. 

With this history I would further claim that examining educational systems one can with great accuracy predict how free a society really is. This is whats most frightening when researching the current exporting of and march toward globalizing NCLB.

Dougla

In line with what Dr. Douglas R. Daugherty has accurately described, academics or scholars or intellectuals are the most frightening "species" for any dictator. So the dictator's servants will spread all sorts of "eyes" on them or will try to buy them or will try to, at least, neutralize them by all means. The work of a despot becomes successful when the management of a university becomes a submissive tool for the ruler.

Dear Paul,

I am in agreement. 

I would  add however some caution because just as we cannot think of academics, scientists, or universities as being homogeneous the same applies to journalism, social work.

I am afraid that for my self personally I have even more of a cautious note when it comes to religious volunteers. There just seems (to me) something more lurking in the background or just under the surface than the obvious or stated agenda. Usually I am afraid it has something to do with raising money through tithing or their religious television networks. In general looking at the financial records of most there percent raised to what is actual received by the needy is not really that good in fact administrative costs listed by some is as much as 80%.

Douglas

Speechless....

And, tooo loud ...

;)

Sorry for "tooo"

Dear Paul,

Yes, Apathy is capitulation. The sciences and academics have been abysmal in taking a united front on issues of social injustices and social welfare. I would suggest this is best demonstrated in the history of sociology and anatomy and physiology. 

Sociology and sociologists who just stood on the sidelines "observing" the brutal treatment of the native's by the conquers as they marched west under Manifest Destiny. Sociologists, religious peoples, and others sat and observed the brutal history of the Jim Crow south which culminated  in Americas "Bloody Sunday" March 7th 1965 at the bridge in Selma Alabama. All "justified" as being neutral and objective all in the name of pure science. Apathy is capitulation.

Anatomy and physiology were not only apathetic but were actively involved in the attempt to prove Natives and Africans were a subset of or not fully developed human beings. This was the goal for the science of eugenics and the crowning jewel in the use of science to promote or maintain the false idea of differing "races"

Universities and academics hiding under the illusion of being an objective institution and therefore must be apathetic and neutral on matters of concern.

Paul is correct with his call for unity, intellectual freedoms, and action in educational as well as social policies is a must.

Indeed apathy in the sciences is not hard to locate historically and that my friends is capitulation stemming from the call for objectivity.

Douglas  

The universities and  their academics by not participating in the great scriggles     

I'm agree with Hamouda we must follow our intuition.

What is true and objective for one person is not always so for someone else.

Are we conscious of the fact that telling the truth is the most painful thing?

Thank you, Paul. You can turn missteps in dignity.

It is great that we can find such stimulating discussions posted here at ResearchGate.

What is next, Paul?

Yes Raid, what is next?

نعم غارة، ما هي الخطوة التالية؟