The limitations of science (The limitations of science)

by David Turell , Friday, August 06, 2010, 14:14 (5222 days ago) @ dhw

A letter to The Guardian a couple of weeks ago from a Dr Tariq Ali, who I assume is a medical doctor and not the activist writer and historian:
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> "You highlight a problem with scientific advice given by scientists with potential conflicts of interest (Report condemns swine flu experts' ties to big pharma, 4 June). Unfortunately, this is only the tip of an iceberg and reflects only one aspect of the problem with blind acceptance of scientific advice. Scientists are human beings and are driven by the same selfish desires as the rest of us. The altruistic scientist, driven only by "the search for truth", is a media fabrication. Fame and influence inflate egos. Hubris, arrogance and a woeful lack of self-awareness is common, in both scientific and medical communities.
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> In my experience many scientists cannot see beyond their limited horizons and only the most remarkable individuals are able to see the big picture. Wide-ranging controversies ... such as the MMR scare, withholding of climate change data -I have railed against peer review in the past. It is a direct road to politicization of science. Read the following discussion of an idiotic article 'identifying' "deniers" of climate change:-http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/08/05/expert-embarrassment-in-climate-change/#more-23048