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wkcosmo.bsky.social • 88 days ago

No it isn't.

“Although science might not be partisan, it’s political”

Calling science apolitical is a political statemnet

A greater awareness & recognition of the inherently political nature of science is a key step towards restoring public trust in science

By @sabs.bsky.social

defector.com/do-not-accep...

Comments

markdhannam.bsky.social•88 days ago

I agree in general, but then there are examples like the earlier 20th century fad for eugenics. People *do* “discover” things that fit their ideologies, and sometimes otherwise serious scientists get on board. That makes the argument harder.

markdhannam.bsky.social•88 days ago

I suppose the counter is: people are motivated by all kinds of reasons to try to prove something is true. If they use scientific methods, and the thing is not true, they’ll eventually be disabused of their notions.

markdhannam.bsky.social•88 days ago

I don’t know the history of eugenics, but presumably that is what happened to “race science”. The data became so overwhelming that only a crackpot would continue to subscribe.

wkcosmo.bsky.social•87 days ago

It is a good general rule of thumb that the people who repeat "science is political" as a self-evident mantra that requires no definition of what they mean by "science" or "political", really mean that science should be distorted to conform to THEIR politics.

theborgh.bsky.social•87 days ago

Stated that simplistically, it's also a deepity: true but trivial in one interpretation, of profound consequence if it had been true, but it isn't, in another.

Doesn't mean that (the practice of) science not existing in a political vacuum doesn't raise interesting questions.

markdhannam.bsky.social•87 days ago

The goal of science, and all of the techniques of science, are about finding truth free of bias (political, religious, cultural or otherwise).

Saying that science is political is like saying music is painful to listen to. It's only painful when its done wrong.

wkcosmo.bsky.social•87 days ago

Well put.

ironmoon44.bsky.social•87 days ago

Could not find better words for this perfect description.

jacopobertolotti.com•87 days ago

Another example of two group using two different definition of the same word (in this case "political") and refusing to accept they are talking about two different things, thus forever talking over each other.

wkcosmo.bsky.social•87 days ago

No, it has consequences. There has been relentless politicization of scientific institutions over the past decade or two, and it has done a lot of damage.

jacopobertolotti.com•87 days ago

[Playing the devil's advocate]
They would argue that the politicization started centuries ago, and that recognizing this is the first step in actually solving the problem.

wkcosmo.bsky.social•87 days ago

It's the solution that is being propsed that is at issue.

jacopobertolotti.com•87 days ago

"I agree that there is a problem, but I disagree on the solution you propose" is (potentially) a good starting point for a fruitful discussion, not a divisive line in the sand.

wkcosmo.bsky.social•87 days ago

That doesn't reflect my opinion, so why would I say that?

bajmihal.bsky.social•87 days ago

Well, science is the pursuit of knowledge about the real world. When political movements which are explicitly against the mere concept of objective reality come into power they see science as a natural enemy regardless of the individual scientists’ inclination to get involved in politics.

kalifissure.bsky.social•88 days ago

Science is not political.

Fudging data is political.
The choice of words can be political.
Science has repercussions in political sphere.
There are personal politics at all levels. Since people- race, culture, ethnicity, and linguistics will all play into all interactions of those involved.

theorydad.bsky.social•87 days ago

It depends on how you draw your box around what you call science. Getting funding to be able to do any science at all or what is done with the results is inherently political, but one can also draw a narrow box with zero funding and call science purely apolitical 🤷🏻‍♂️

goatedusername.bsky.social•88 days ago

ig they make such statements in the context of social sciences but are sloppy with their choice of words

goatedusername.bsky.social•88 days ago

btw your absolute right will

ibrahimtencer.bsky.social•88 days ago

When people say science is political they mean "you have to allow my political agenda to influence/supersede your research."

safavi.bsky.social•88 days ago

Science is the most important political project.

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