Posted on 12/08/2009 8:26:34 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
In his new book, The Deniable Darwin (Discovery Institute Press, 2009), published just before the ClimateGate scandal broke, mathematician David Berlinski explained that scientists should not be trusted to check themselves--no more than anyone else on the planet, and maybe less so, since grant money is involved. Now he writes on his blog, "I Told You So."
From The Deniable Darwin:
My own view, repeated in virtually all of my essays, is that the sense of skepticism engendered by the sciences would be far more appropriately directed toward the sciences than toward anything else. It is not a view that has engendered wide-spread approval. The sciences require no criticism, many scientists say, because the sciences comprise a uniquely self-critical institution, with questionable theories and theoreticians passing constantly before stern appellate review. Judgment is unrelenting. And impartial. Individual scientists may make mistakes, but like the Communist Party under Lenin, science is infallible because its judgments are collective. Critics are not only unwelcome, they are unneeded. The biologist Paul Gross has made himself the master of this attitude and invokes it on every conceivable occasion.
Now no one doubts that scientists are sometimes critical of themselves. Among astrophysicists, backbiting often leads to backstabbing. The bloodletting that ensues is on occasion salutary. But the process of peer review by which grants are funded and papers assigned to scientific journals, is, by its very nature, an undertaking in which a court reviews its own decisions and generally finds them good. It serves the useful purpose of settling various scores, but it does not – and it cannot – achieve the ends that criticism is intended to serve.
If the scientific critic finds himself needed wherever he goes, like a hanging judge he finds himself unwelcome wherever he appears, all the more reason, it seems to me, that he really should get around as much as possible.
“Science Cannot Police Itself”...especially government science!!!
IBT.... you know.
And this time I’m sure...
A cautionary tale for those who would make medical science even more beholden to the gummit than it is already.
This time there is no doubt, you made it in before the Creation Opposition Groupies (COGs). You’re fast, Metmom! Very fast!!!
Scientists are not exempt from all the human foibles the rest of us are, no matter how objective they claim to be, how pure their motives supposedly are in the search for *truth* or whatever it is they're currently claiming to look for, no matter how intellectually superior they try to pass themselves off as.
There's simply too much to be gained by lying. We don't trust politicians for the same reason.
Follow the grant money.....
Far too many “scientists” are little more than agenda driven, radical leftists and whores for government handouts. Imagine what the truly great and talented scientists of the past would think of these brainless thugs.
Lack of trust is becoming institutionalized in our society. It’s the only sensible approach, and it’s really sad to see it come to this.
Indeed...climategate adds some emphasis to the point. However, do not throw the baby out with the (admittedly smelly) bathwater. Science has made incredible discoveries, added insights and developed awe-inspiring products (e.g., drugs, space ships, the Sham Wow) to help humankind. Scientists are human, though...
No it can’t.
Exactly, as if any structure or method can cure the excesses of man’s inherently sinful nature. It was in part this very recognition that prompted our founders set up a government with separate powers, all checking on each other, and all jealous of their delegated powers....and not even that was enough to prevent man’s sin from finding a way to muck things up!
I love science. I love technology. I'm constantly amazed at the wonderful truths which we discover about this amazing world.
I'll even (for the sake of discussion) grant that the mechanism of evolution (one species giving rise to a different species) COULD be true. But I have a problem with much of the information pushed by Evolutionists, and I resent (very much) the notion that the unproven worldview of Evolution is pushed, and pushed, and pushed throughout every government school, while the notion that we were all created by God is completely banned.
This whole "settled science" business and the "We're right, and you people are crazy, so shut up already" attitude is NOT doing science any favors.
Yeah there’s plenty of good science being done and it can usually be found where there is healthy debate. That debate is exactly what was missing from climatology.
Personally I suspect many of these climatologists were sipplying the data they were paid to provide. When we hear that General Electric was doing research, I suspect much of that research was done by colleges on grant money. If a Climatologist didn’t provide what GE or other agenda drivers didn’t want to hear, they lost funding and a climatologist who would provide it gets the funding. The net result was the death of debate.
exactly, all the little evos who use that pathetic whine about science being ‘self correcting’, uh-huh...this climate change, another movement masquerading as ‘science’, has had years to ‘self correct’, but hasnt until real people who know lies, POINTED IT OUT TO EVERYONE ELSE...
hmmmm....what a joke.
now the evos will claim their ‘science’ is above such subterfuge....HAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAH please.....i almost laughed my coffee out through my nose just typing that one....
One potentially good thing that could come out of this, once American’s become thoroughly fed up with being taxed and regulated half to death (without representation), is a movement of angry Americans with torches and pitchforks, where every butcher, baker and candlestick maker comes out of the woodwork, and lay siege to the EPA through their elected representatives, pulling it apart brick by brick, until there isn’t enough left of it to put under a microscope!
The brainless thugs would turn on him, close ranks, and destroy his career, and history would never learn of him.
Science does just fine. It is when the politicians get involved that everything goes to Hell.
Science does just fine. It is when the politicians get involved that everything goes to Hell.
Coming from a source who’s very name is a fraud. very good.
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