ABSTRACT
American ideologue is a middle-class man who objects to his dependence on science even when he accepts its norms. He is resentful of the superiority of the educated, and antagonistic to knowledge. Membership in creationist organizations requires a degree in natural science, although to be sure their credentials are often of dubious origin, as in the case of Laetrile's Dr. Krebs. Indeed the controversy over Laetrile is but one example of widespread ideological resistance to the rationality and reductionism epitomized by science, and broad political resistance to the pervasive influence of professional expertise in many areas of personal life. The scientific community responds characteristically by trying to limit the scope of arguments to the technical arena. Scientists dismiss their critics for their political motivations, labeling them right-wing or ultraconservative. This indeed seems to be the case in the Laetrile dispute and also in the creation controversy.
