Monday, August 21, 2023

What does it mean to “trust science”?

What does it mean to “trust science”? - by Jason Crawford 
"And this, my children, is why we do not say things like “I believe in science”...
Should we “trust science” or “believe in science”?...
What does it mean to “trust science?”
  • Does it mean “trust scientists”? Which scientists? They disagree, often vehemently. Which statements of theirs? Surely not all of them; scientists do not speak ex cathedra for “Science.”
  • Does it mean “trust scientific institutions”? Again, which ones?
  • Does it mean “trust scientific papers”? Any one paper can be wrong in its conclusions or even its methods. The study itself could have been mistaken, or the writeup might not reflect the study.
  • And it certainly can’t mean “trust science news,” which is notoriously inaccurate...

No comments: