I guess so, Bert.
Fraudulent scientific behaviour aside, I guess the final 'end game' amongst scientists gets played out when the arguments become no longer rational and 'reasonable'. (This sometimes takes a long time !)
Not so at the science-meeting-the-public interface, however.
The 'trial by media' played out under public scrutiny goes on ad-nauseum, or so it seems. This one turned up, just this morning (as an example … and yes, off-topic … apologies for that, but I couldn't resist it):
Distrust of climate science due to lack of media literacy: researcher
(Released by: Caren Cooper, a research associate who works on 'citizen science projects', at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in a Forum article in the March issue of BioScience magazine … I'm only posting it, as an aside).
This researcher seems to think media studies will sort it all out for the generally, scientifically illiterate public !!
Quote:
Evidence shows that media literacy education would help the public critique media messages and better assess the truth behind them, Cooper says.
…
Previous research demonstrates that informal science education {comment: what is this ??}, in the United States has not emphasized critical thinking, she said. {Comment: kind of self-evident, if the education is 'informal' !!}
..
Research shows that laypeople and the media tend to view all scientific viewpoints as equally valid and, therefore, give too much credence to the minority viewpoint of skeptical scientists.
…
The solution? Cooper draws on a new approach emerging in the field of science communication that engages the public in activities and dialogues that interpret scientific knowledge. Citizen science, where the public actively collects scientific data, offers one such example.
|
A threat to Science and Scientific Philosophy?
… or is that what we do here … 'Citizen Science' ??
Cheers