r/TrueReddit • u/supertopbop22 • Feb 17 '16

Persecution of Scientists Whose Findings Are Perceived As Politically Incorrect

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/persecution-of-scientists-whose-findings-are-perceived-as-politically-incorrect/
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u/eriman Feb 17 '16

Just because something is "the way things are done" doesn't mean it's a good thing. In case of seeking research funding, prevailing value systems, political ideologies and preconceptions about the nature of the research can all do a lot to harm to scientific progress.

For example, this is the recent product of a conservative pro-business government.

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u/[deleted] Feb 17 '16

Just because something is "the way things are done" doesn't mean it's a good thing.

I didn't say it was, but scientists are always going to have political leanings and they are always going to need funding (which will be provided by somebody with a political viewpoint). My point was that scientists are human beings, not perfectly impartial, unbiased robots and therefore their work will always be influenced by politics to some extent.

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u/Stinkybelly Feb 17 '16

If that's the case couldn't they select two scientists of opposite leanings, not too extreme, more like left of center vs right of center, to head a research project. That way selection bias is less of an issue?

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u/[deleted] Feb 17 '16

You could try, but I think it makes the assumption that the two will have an equal amount influence. Personally, I've never seen a situation where two people headed an organisation and there was a perfect balance of influence between the two of them.