<p>On Monday, Neil deGrasse Tyson, professional scientist and amateur philosopher, signified that he wanted a new force: Truth Force! He tweeted this bit of genius to the world at large:</p>
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<p>I&#8217;m okay with a US Space Force. But what we need most is a Truth Force &#8212; one that defends against all enemies of accurate information, both foreign &amp; domestic.</p>
<p>&#8212; Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/1031556958153666561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>When asked whether he meant he wanted a government agency telling people about &#8220;truth,&#8221; deGrasse Tyson responded:</p>
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<p>A good start: The National Academy of Sciences, which &#8220;&#8230;provides objective, science-based advice on critical issues affecting the nation.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8212; Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/1031562198961680387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>First off, even the idea that the government is the sole arbiter of scientific truth is disquieting; that specific idea was used to promulgate everything from eugenics to bad food science for years. Regulatory and research capture is a serious problem when tax dollars are at stake.</p>
<p>But more broadly, the notion that the government should be tasked with defining and enforcing truth cuts broadly against the notion of a free republic. That&#8217;s nothing new from deGrasse Tyson, who yearns to control everyone&#8217;s thought process from above:</p>
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<p>Earth needs a virtual country: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rationalia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rationalia</a>, with a one-line Constitution: All policy shall be based on the weight of evidence</p>
<p>&#8212; Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/748157273789300736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2016</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>In Rationalia, presumably deGrasse Tyson is king. And the king shall allow no other gods:</p>
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<p>Evidence collected over many years, obtained from many locations, indicates that the power of Prayer is insufficient to stop bullets from killing school children.</p>
<p>&#8212; Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/964606017513410560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>One wonders how in Rationalia, abortion will be dealt with. Or tax policy, for that matter.</p>
<p>Yes, let&#8217;s let deGrasse Tyson run the Ministry of Truth. Or, let&#8217;s let Donald Trump, since deGrasse Tyson has so much trust in the executive branch. Unless, it turns out, deGrasse Tyson thinks he has a monopoly on truth, and therefore believes only he should be qualified to run his Truth Force.</p>


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