Science Memes

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Science is more like a conversation. (mander.xyz)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 124 points 3 months ago (20 children)

Scientific method is the best tool we have to achieve "pure objectivity and truth", but it's not perfect. The primary point of failure being application of it by extremely subjective creatures.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Extremely subjective creatures, many of which believe they're always right (including many "scientists").

But yeah, you're right, the reality is somewhere between the two extremes of the meme. Although we might also want to have a conversation about what "pure objectivity and truth" means.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We like putting things into boxes. It simplifies things. It's easier to put things into objective boxes in math and physics, but the further from those you get, more subjective these boxes become. Biology is almost entirely subjective, we just draw a line in the sand where it suits our needs (at the time) the best.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Absolutely, and a big part of being a good scientist is acknowledging that subjectivity (and well as the degree of uncertainty in all our knowledge). In social science, subjectivity is baked in... there's no way to avoid it, no matter how hard you try.

That's not to say subjectivity means science can't do anything useful in these areas. Most of the problems with subjectivity come from pretending something is objective when it's not.

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