2 Votes
Moralized science isn't real science
But the deniers’ campaign of lies, grotesque as it is, does not justify secrecy and suppression on the part of climate scientists. Far from it: it means that they must distinguish themselves from their opponents in every way. No one has been as badly let down by the revelations in these emails as those of us who have championed the science. We should be the first to demand that it is unimpeachable, not the last.
I really like this statement. Science, in my opinion, needs to take the high ground. Be objective seekers of – and teachers of – information. Test a hypothesis and transparently convey what you found as spin-less-ly as possible.
Instead, many scientists seem to be trying to make the “right” point, accomplish “good,” or be understood “properly.” Moralizing science makes it … well … not real science.
RE: Moralized science isn't real science by Michale32086
Science, in my opinion, needs to take the high ground. Be objective seekers of – and teachers of – information. Test a hypothesis and transparently convey what you found as spin-less-ly as possible. Instead, many scientists seem to be trying to make the “right” point, accomplish “good,” or be understood “properly.” Moralizing science makes it … well … not real science.
Well said.
As one CRU email said, “We can get the results we want, but we would have to throw a lot of crap in there to do so” or words to that effect.
It is statements like these that really show what the base problem is with the AGW scientists.
RE: Moralized science isn't real science by wyldeling
In the main, I have to agree with you. However, your comment about scientists trying to be “understood properly” is less a moral issue than a communication issue. As a physicist, there is an established language that I use to communicate with my fellows, and while they may understand the nitty gritty points, there is very little communication barrier there. However, when attempting to communicate the same ideas to my wife (an accountant) I get blank looks even when I try to adapt my language (and god help me if I don’t). We have a separate language that does not translate easily into common English, and this is what we mean when we want to be “understood properly.”
RE: Moralized science isn't real science by Jorg
You must remember though that science is an enterprise, and a philosophy, and quite likely the best way we have found to discover and explore the Universe. But scientists are people: and just like all people they get frustrated and pissed off, and go off on silly tangents and are to some degree, irrational. The fact remains that none of the exposed emails does anything to undermine the essentially solid science supporting AGW; at worst, it shows that some of the scientists were a bit petty and huffy in their personal communications—which should have remained private, in any case.