Read Karl Popper and then Thomas Kuhn - then you begin to question
the whole notion of 'scientific method' and value free scientific
research. Most scientific workers simply are not doing what they
think that they are doing. Of course, understanding that problem
doesn't really get you anywhere either.
Science is a cultural artifact - that which challenges the
conventional wisdom of the dominant group (COWDUNG) doesn't get
funded and those who suggest it get crushed as mad persons.
My favorite example in the medical vein is the (Australian) medical
researcher who discovered Helicobacter pylorii, the bug that causes
most gastric ulcers. Every physician had been taught that bacteria
could not survive the gastric environment and the pharmaceutical
industry had a massive investment in medications that merely
alleviated symptoms. It's hard to make a big profit out of a one
week, two dose treatment. The researcher in question was punished
with ten years of derision and obstruction. Even now that it has been
widely accepted, his career is damaged and he remains an minor
academic at a minor university. I can't even remember his bloody
name! He will NEVER be forgiven for being right.
AndrewF
On 25/06/2005, at 4:18 PM, Moose wrote:
> So while there are certainly venal, weak and otherwise unworthy
> scientists, there are also many who are true and pure of heart, but
> it's
> a really complicated universe and some of them will still do
> inadequate
> and incaccurate work. And that's the way the world is, always has been
> and is likely to remain.
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|