General Discussion

alarimer

(17,146 posts)

38. Yes, this is a problem is science reporting.

Thu Mar 31, 2016, 09:01 AM

Mar 2016

http://undark.org/

This is a new online science mag that is designed to talk about some of the issues in science reporting. They also have a podcast and in that podcast they talked about some of these. One was press release from the University of Maryland supposedly about a study that showed a certain type of chocolate milk had a protective effect against concussion. Turns out, there was no such study and the university had a relationship with the company.

So, I do have a issue with science funding by corporations. Even if there is no influence there, it does call the legitimacy into question. It shouldn't be allowed for corporations to fund real science outside of the company itself. They should not be allowed to fund university labs or researchers or museums, period. But this is a problem of funding. The government should be funding more science than it is. And for certain topics, it is prohibited from providing funds (stem cell research, guns). So what is the answer in those cases? Money from donors and organizations that may have a vested interest in the outcome. It's really hard. Science is so important, yet we as a people do not provide the finding we need, so it come from questionable sources. And if the government does provide the funding, the Republicans (and others, sometimes) complain about the studies as being silly or frivolous or useless because they don't understand.

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Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? [View all] HuckleB Mar 2016 OP

Because if the earth was round, we'd slide off. Nailzberg Mar 2016 #1

Poor science. HuckleB Mar 2016 #16

No such thing Major Nikon Apr 2016 #97

Because science isn't a priority in school curricula any more. NV Whino Mar 2016 #2

When I was teaching high school social studies Bigmack Apr 2016 #84

They are not reasonable people malaise Mar 2016 #3

Don't dis DRAMA! HuckleB Mar 2016 #4

you struck the nail on the proverbial head TimeToEvolve Mar 2016 #10

Precisely malaise Mar 2016 #24

My thoughts exactly. we can do it Mar 2016 #75

My own uninformed opinion is that its influenced by poor science reporting and lack... Humanist_Activist Mar 2016 #5

I suspect your hypothesis is worth exploring. HuckleB Mar 2016 #6

The media has never helped. Archae Mar 2016 #14

I would add movies and tv along with that Proud Liberal Dem Mar 2016 #35

Post removed Post removed Mar 2016 #7

Nice try - here's your new hat hatrack Mar 2016 #8

Oh, boy. HuckleB Mar 2016 #11

they are called the laws of thermo-fucking-dymanics!!!!!! TimeToEvolve Mar 2016 #12

the main graph from the Mann paper Angel Martin Mar 2016 #19

That's like "my cancer isn't spreading as fast as the doctors said, so I must not have cancer" progressoid Mar 2016 #20

No, what the data in the Mann paper means Angel Martin Mar 2016 #25

Volcanic activity? Ghost Dog Mar 2016 #27

Temperatures have more or less flatlined? SheilaT Mar 2016 #53

That's the mantra of denialists. HuckleB Mar 2016 #54

Uhhh... NO. You did not read the concluding remarks. Adrahil Mar 2016 #70

+1 HuckleB Mar 2016 #71

+1 n/t Gormy Cuss Apr 2016 #86

Your graph is out of date muriel_volestrangler Mar 2016 #26

Climate science is more complex than you think. Here's is an explanation. Chemisse Apr 2016 #126

Reality is what's still there whether anyone believes it or not bhikkhu Mar 2016 #15

somebody better tell Antartica edhopper Mar 2016 #29

"had put something in the water" awoke_in_2003 Mar 2016 #9

yet it is the Pb they should be worried about it. TimeToEvolve Mar 2016 #13

I was making a awoke_in_2003 Mar 2016 #18

1. They're not reasonable and 2. An outsider describes it best - Richard Dawkins said MillennialDem Mar 2016 #17

Not so fast. EllieBC Mar 2016 #56

Unfortunately, many people with non-science higher educations... HuckleB Apr 2016 #125

The saddest aspect of life right now... progressoid Mar 2016 #21

+1,000... 000 HuckleB Mar 2016 #41

also from Asimov... alp227 Apr 2016 #101

many otherwise reasonable people have a lot invested in doubting science 0rganism Mar 2016 #22

Answer seems simple to me. Money. There's money to be made. Festivito Mar 2016 #23

except the vast majority of people who deny science edhopper Mar 2016 #28

Conservatives don't hate facts. They don't trust facts. DetlefK Mar 2016 #32

good post. edhopper Mar 2016 #63

Didn't mean to say they did. Check out the leader's income from donations. Festivito Mar 2016 #49

I agree that the motivation for edhopper Mar 2016 #62

Because science is everywhere, but few people actually understand it. DetlefK Mar 2016 #30

The scientific method, I don't doubt get the red out Mar 2016 #31

Yes, this is a problem is science reporting. alarimer Mar 2016 #38

Reasonable people do not exist. AngryAmish Mar 2016 #33

They're not reasonable rjsquirrel Mar 2016 #34

Three possible reasons whatthehey Mar 2016 #36

Some aspect of Dunning-Kruger, possibly. alarimer Mar 2016 #37

Science is not about belief. nt bemildred Mar 2016 #39

I don't think numbers have changed, with the intertubes though every fucking idiot has a voice snooper2 Mar 2016 #40

some of it is overreaction to exposed junk science Amishman Mar 2016 #42

It's amazing that the press miscovers most actual science, and then hypes the junk. HuckleB Mar 2016 #43

Because they don't understand it. Avalux Mar 2016 #44

Education in this country is in need of serious reform seanjoycek476 Mar 2016 #45

Look how many people attack GMO foods. former9thward Mar 2016 #46

The article addresses that topic. HuckleB Mar 2016 #50

No, they have all sorts of evidence Major Nikon Apr 2016 #106

It's a disc on elephants riding on the Great Sky Turtle, Atuin. GoneOffShore Mar 2016 #47

In this country we stupidly venerate "faith" over facts. Arugula Latte Mar 2016 #48

It took me about 3 years to convince a friend of my who is smart that "reality TV" LiberalArkie Mar 2016 #51

Oh, goodness. HuckleB Mar 2016 #52

To begin with, science is often not very well taught in high school in the first place. SheilaT Mar 2016 #55

Your explanation doesn't cover the other half. EllieBC Mar 2016 #57

Even in non Bible belt SheilaT Mar 2016 #59

And a lot of it is that even the well educated EllieBC Mar 2016 #61

Yes. Logic and logical thinking SheilaT Mar 2016 #67

Because science is sometimes wrong. kwassa Mar 2016 #58

You've outlined the ways that pseudoscience promoters push mistrust of science. HuckleB Mar 2016 #64

You are incorrect, sir. kwassa Mar 2016 #76

And then you continue to add to the ways that pseudoscience demonizes logic and science. HuckleB Apr 2016 #80

I am not demonizing science at all ... kwassa Apr 2016 #81

Oh, goodness. HuckleB Apr 2016 #82

What are you talking about? kwassa Apr 2016 #83

You're running the pseudoscience justification module to the T. HuckleB Apr 2016 #85

and you are labeling my argument without supplying a cogent and coherent rebuttal. kwassa Apr 2016 #91

I'm not trying to rebut anything. HuckleB Apr 2016 #93

of course not, because your argument doesn't hold water ... kwassa Apr 2016 #94

You don't have an argument. The "science was wrong fallacy" is, well, a fallacy. HuckleB Apr 2016 #99

That wasn't my argument. kwassa Apr 2016 #110

It was, and I understand it perfectly well. HuckleB Apr 2016 #111

Well, continue on in your misbelief. kwassa Apr 2016 #113

You really think you can fool people that easily? HuckleB Apr 2016 #115

Science --> pseudoscience ? Care to give some examples ? Bonx Apr 2016 #95

It was recognized as non-science, or bad science, after it was disproved. kwassa Apr 2016 #96

But none of those were good science to begin with. Bonx Apr 2016 #98

They were good science for their time and place. kwassa Apr 2016 #108

Scientific theory =/ science Major Nikon Apr 2016 #107

I don't disagree. kwassa Apr 2016 #109

The sun may not come up tomorrow Major Nikon Apr 2016 #112

+1 HuckleB Apr 2016 #116

You failed to point out that its the scientific process that corrects for these errors... Humanist_Activist Apr 2016 #87

True, however the history of such reversals creates doubt .... kwassa Apr 2016 #89

If they are doing it due to conflicting evidence or the lack of evidence, that's one thing... Humanist_Activist Apr 2016 #92

I agree completely. kwassa Apr 2016 #114

Folks have been raised to get the truth one time... TipTok Mar 2016 #60

We have to teach the need for challenging our own beliefs, indeed. HuckleB Mar 2016 #65

Thinking is hard! yortsed snacilbuper Mar 2016 #66

Because there is no law in nature that states people have to agree with you or use common sense. Rex Mar 2016 #68

Your gifs are mesmerizing. HuckleB Mar 2016 #73

Thanks, we have some talented gif makers! Rex Mar 2016 #74

Because they are not really "reason"able. Adrahil Mar 2016 #69

You certainly have a good point. HuckleB Apr 2016 #78

It goes against their reliigion! yortsed snacilbuper Mar 2016 #72

In the case of liberals, it's an issue of trust and conflation chade Mar 2016 #77

It's because they aren't reasonable. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2016 #79

Why do so many reasonable people think they will win the lottery when the value goes up? Rex Apr 2016 #88

That's where it starts. HuckleB Apr 2016 #120

Some believe that gut instinct is better than objective evidence sakabatou Apr 2016 #90

In some instances frustrated_lefty Apr 2016 #100

Because science doesn't have a public relations or communications arm. cheapdate Apr 2016 #102

You are definitely on to something here. HuckleB Apr 2016 #103

This is a large part of the problem, one reason it is hard to talk logic to RWingers. Rex Apr 2016 #117

Because they believe science is Satan's religion? B Calm Apr 2016 #104

Or Satan's Helper? HuckleB Apr 2016 #105

To some degree, the "everybody wins" mentality says that the opinion of people who Thor_MN Apr 2016 #118

You're spot on. HuckleB Apr 2016 #119

The letters to the editor are some funny if not depressing reads. Rex Apr 2016 #121

It's called motivated reasoning caraher Apr 2016 #122

A good size chunk of the population LadyHawkAZ Apr 2016 #123

Yeah, that does not help! HuckleB Apr 2016 #124

Because tomorrow's science will disprove today's science... egduj Apr 2016 #127

It can, but that's not necessarily so. HuckleB Apr 2016 #128

Science is a conservative, constructive enterprise. longship Apr 2016 #129

+1 HuckleB Apr 2016 #130