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Re:Proceedings Start Against ‘Sokal Squared’ Hoax Professor by YeGoblynQueenne on Monday January 14, 2019 @07:31AM (#18902493)
>> How long until the same thing happens in academia and STEM is attacked for caring more about facts than being "morally right" according to someone's personal definition of morality?

Perhaps journalists have "facts", but, in the sciences, we don't have anything of the sort. We have evidence, and theories that attempt to interpret the evidence. Scientists are often accused of equivocating about the significance of their results, and changing their minds every few years, because the public expects "facts" and absolute scientific truth where all we have is best-guesses given the data, and uncertainty. And this is an expectation bred by the reporting of scientific results in the lay press.

The comment you quote above seems to be about WP fact-checkers; not scientists. I don't see why you have to go from that, to a crisis in scientific credibility. Journalists can be expected to have much less rigorous research processes than scientists. In that light, the comment you quote, that being morally right is more important than being factually correct makes sense: journalistic "fact-checking" is not going to be very accurate at all. So why not make sure it's at least ethical?

In any case, I don't see any, well, evidence of the kind of crisis you're talking about.

Re:Proceedings Start Against ‘Sokal Squared’ Hoax Professor by leereeves on Monday January 14, 2019 @07:39AM (#18902528)
What is "evidence" if not "facts"?

Theory is always changing and improving, as it should, but facts are the foundation for sound theory.

AOC is arguing that what's important is that the theory be appealing, whether or not it fits the facts.

If STEM operated that way nothing would work.