What happened to the scientific process? | 74 comments (74 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: What happened to the scientific process? (none / 0)

" The notion that science is free from ideology and politics is a fantasy, since scientific practice is subject to power relations. "

Well, perhaps, but I'm not even talking about the substance of his conclusions (which are wrong, of course), but he backs them with something that is a crass misuse of data. I really am not exaggerating when saying that it would not take me five seconds to spot it.

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Sat Mar 9th, 2013 at 01:25:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What happened to the scientific process? (none / 0)

My point concerns those who are peer-reviewing and publishing. Those who committed the "study" are simply propagandists.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sat Mar 9th, 2013 at 05:00:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What happened to the scientific process? (none / 0)

"those who are peer-reviewing and publishing" are, undoubtedly, concerned with avoiding heresy and being cast into the outer darkness of junior colleges. There are a good number of honest economists working in various aspects of 'the market', those where the need for realistic forecasts is far more important than the need for ideological purity. Many of these are hedge funds. There one can enjoy playing the stupidities of 'mainstream economics' against the believers. But there remains a bias against pulling back the curtain.

Those who want to get ahead likely learn to overlook and ignore the deceptions of colleagues. How much better if one can manage to really believe or to convincingly pretend to believe the dogma. If one has gone into debt to get a degree it is rather awkward not to believe what one has learned, especially if one needs to teach. This is rather like someone who has become a Doctor of Divinity only to find that they are actually an atheist. What to do if the student loan still has to be paid.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Mar 9th, 2013 at 10:26:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What happened to the scientific process? (none / 1)

I'm not even talking about the substance of his conclusions (which are wrong, of course), but he backs them with something that is a crass misuse of data. I really am not exaggerating when saying that it would not take me five seconds to spot it.

This is what he is expected to do - serve the interests of his Church. It obviously has nothing to do with science. What comes out of investment houses is sort of like economic creationism. Any old rhetoric or device to make the followers feel confident in the dogma. This is little different than pagan priests who used to blow perfumed air through bellows out the mouths of statues of the Gods whose worship they oversaw. This was the pneuma and, when felt and sniffed by the worshipers, undoubtedly helped with the contributions to the temple.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Mar 9th, 2013 at 10:08:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What happened to the scientific process? | 74 comments (74 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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