Re:For Some, Scientists Aren't the Authority on Science
by sdenton4 on Monday November 28, 2016 @05:17PM
(#13058894)
So the findings should be convincing, but not change minds, because that's not what science does?
Re:For Some, Scientists Aren't the Authority on Science
by humanrebar on Monday November 28, 2016 @05:46PM
(#13059100)
Science has no mass or energy. It doesn't do anything. Talking about science as doing things (like changing minds) just confuses what it's about. This phrasing is popular and poetic, but in this case, the poetry confuses people, even scientists and science enthusiasts.
Science doesn't save lives. Doctors do. We've used scientific methods to understand all sorts of things about the world. And we've used that understanding in all sorts of pursuits, good and bad, including curing diseases and transplanting organs.
Saying science changes minds is like saying understanding, wisdom, technique, or knowledge do.
Science is a method. It doesn't do anything. Good science is an answer to honest skepticism. It doesn't create planets, change minds, or fly airplanes. It's a way to determine what is true and communicate our findings convincingly.