Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA25239 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 25 Jan 2002 12:58:52 GMT X-Originating-IP: [217.34.78.22] From: "Paul Marsden" <paulsmarsden@hotmail.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Selfish meme? Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 12:54:14 -0000 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: <LAW2-OE20SFsxf4yp8A0000c455@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 25 Jan 2002 12:54:30.0547 (UTC) FILETIME=[6DE93E30:01C1A59F] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>A few examples please. These kind of cynical ruminations erode the morale
of the scientific community, >and worse still, deter young people from
entering science.
Gary Taubes in 'Bad Science: The Short Life and Weird Times of Cold
Fusion' - shows how the scientific investigation, in terms of focus,
investment and reporting, around Cold Fusion makes more sense if we
understand it in terms of interpersonal relations, motivations and politics
rather than 'objective', dispassionate investigation. Brings home by
example the thinking of Feyerabend and Kuhn.
This is the domain of the sociology of science - debunking the myth of
objectivity and hyper-rationalism in science by example, and yes, a thorn in
the side of the scientific community (which hit back with a powerful and
effective counter blow with the Sokal Affair). Nevertheless is it not wise
to be sceptical (not cynical) of science - as in all things in life - and
systematically apply the tenets critical thinking? Rationalism may be a
laudable goal - but isn't science driven by creatures of 'bounded
rationality' and guided by irrational hopes and fears?
The debunking agenda of sociology, along with its 2 axioms that a) the world
is not what it seems, and b) that it could be different from that which it
is, is not entirely without merit.
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