A convenient truth (and why science isn't really science)
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I love science. I always have. I am particularly fascinated by the Universe and all the elements of it. Over the past couple years, I've become very fond of the string theory and the idea of time. I think this type of science is just magnificently interesting and exciting. It's reaching out to understand things we know so little about. That is science.
But, that type of science is a dying trend. Today, a lot of science isn't really science at all. Special interests have it made now. There are scientists that will pretty much say what the groups want to hear (and, more importantly, what the group wants people to hear).
For example, some scientists tell us that, without a doubt, global warming is being caused by humans. Other scientists tell us that, without a doubt, global warming is a natural occurrence. Both can't be right.
Some scientists tell us that alcohol helps prevent cancer. Others tell us it causes cancer. There are countless examples; I don't need to list them all here.
The fact is, there is no way that these opposite opinions can both be right. So we're left to decide whether one group is telling the truth and the other is looking out for its special interests, or if both groups are just looking out for their own interests. That's a dangerous decision to make, especially if something pertains to your personal health.
This has been coming up a lot in my job. On one side of the argument, there are doctors and scientists saying that sun exposure without sunblock increases your risk of melanoma. On the other side, you have doctors and scientists saying that sun avoidance and the use of chemical sunblocks increase your risk of melanoma. So who do you believe?
Both of these opinions are championed by different groups. The chemical sunscreen companies obviously favor the opinion that you should wear sunscreen all the time. And companies like indoor tanning salons favor the opinion that UV is good for you and sunscreen is dangerous.
One side is obviously wrong, and our health depends on following advice from one of them. How do we figure out which is right?
I wish more scientists would be scientists and not businessmen or politicians. Until that happens (which it probably won't), we need to do our best to look at the facts and form opinions based on our own understanding. For now, this type of "science" is really just a game of who can make the better claims and show, what appears to be, substantial "evidence" to support their claims.
I wonder what would have happened if Galileo had behaved like modern scientists and caved to the pressures of the Catholic church.
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