Scientists, we need to bring people WITH us. In my ‘how science works” #SCI2010 lectures I flagged the danger of scientists being viewed as highpriests of knowledge = could be rejected like any religion. (I may’ve got this idea from Julian Cribb: too long ago to remember) #SciComm 🧪
Stop trusting the people who've dedicated their lives to study these things. Believe your ged and 4chan research.
He's insane.
Trusting MAGA is not a feature of science, democracy, education, intelligence, empathy.
Yes and America needs to vote Democrat so that people like RFK JR never hold positions of power.
I think there are two sorts of 'trust' here: the blind faith (which RFK Jr isn't against, he just wants people to have it in him); and 'trust' to tell the truth as we know it and how likely it is to change. Unfortunately we live in an age where the latter isn't the kind of answer most people want.
Good point. Blind trust is a good avenue if you have no expertise and therefore should trust the experts
Therein lies the dilemma for science and science communication. Our societal use of science is built on blind trust because, for most people, the actual science of (insert favourite subject etc) is too complex or esoteric to understand.
For example, most people will happily use a microwave oven without any understanding of how or why it works. They trust that it not only works but presents no danger to them directly or indirectly as it heats the food.
When they first came to rural Australia there were some who feared the food would be corrupted and cause cancer. I don't think it took root because it was well before the internet age and also before the disinformation campaigns of big tobacco etc that sowed seeds of doubt in science for profit.
I think the deal is that when someone, generally for personal profit or self-agrandisement, comes up with 'microwave ovens give you cancer' scientists need to have the ability to explain to lay-people why that's rubbish. Of course there are media outlets who will run the story anyway...
Why should we listen to a menace on human health!
No we shouldn’t - that’s not what I’m saying
What a dope
Articulating scientific findings in ways the public can understand is essential. But… Something’s usually lost with simplification, and the findings can be more easily manipulated when done. Ensuring critical thinking is taught in schools might be just as important.
It's beyond ironic that he's asking folks to trust his judgement on this. That said, all human systems are built on an element of trust, even though we acknowledge trust is easily broken, hence laws and punishments.
I trust what the science says - but it’s interesting that some people don’t. Why not? Can we as scientists do anything about that?
The contents of his skull is likely to be unbelievable
The scientific method is crystal clear : if you claim something, show the figures and explain how they've been obtained (for instance, models and projections are less reliable than data)
A root cause is the problem: handful of "scientists" provide false narratives & data used to create FUD that is pushed to ensure profits for the ultra-wealth. Tobacco, global warming, etc. $$$ is having the same effect on science as it has in politics. + sexism (more female scientists) =
The genesis of this lies in the 1960s when a certain demographic rejected mainstream science cos it contradicted their religious beliefs. Since then they've made inroads into public education, sowing distrust in science ensuring science education is so poor that understanding is almost impossible.
Yesterday, donOLD’s deputy chief of staff call RFKjr a health expert. So now we don’t have to listen to him.
I swear he watched Comedy centrals Digman to come to this conclusion.
@juliancribb.bsky.social 🫡 Agree. Science made simple and part of everyday discussions and understanding is critical. Flip side - "oh, you don't trust science? Step out of your car and hand over your phone then sir - they're clearly dangerous."
This is also what Asimov warned against/expected to happen, in his (otherwise very flawed but very fascinating) Foundation stories. Science (the eponymous Foundation) going through a “Religious Phase”.
Interesting. I’d forgotten that . It doesn’t need to happen . I believe in expertise and listening to experts outside my field
I feel Asimov (who was a “citizen science” adept, and promoted kids learning to understand & build their own transistor radio) echoed what Carl Sagan feared too: that we, laymen, got so used to what science & tech *did* for us, that we would grow complacent, stop *knowing*,… 1/
…and end up *believing* in science. It is, frankly, what’s happening today: most people don’t understand how dna, vaccines, viruses, computers, “5G”, mobile phones, bitcoins & “AI” work, despite having to deal with them. 2/
The main issue with just “believing” science, is that it leads to scientists wrongfully expecting adulation, being seen as priests (Asimov’s fear) AND the public becoming more easily duped (Sagan’s fear). Both have happened, regretfully. 3/3
I don’t think we expect adulation - we just don’t understand when people are not convinced by the evidence
Oh, *most* scientists certainly don’t, yet a *lot* of people (in education, media, press & academia) underestimate the damage caused to the understanding of science as a project/method AND science as practice. 1/
“Evidence” is constantly being misrepresented BY people claiming to be scientists, yet many scientists *still* claim to deserve respect *because* of their title, even in areas they lack evidence or expertise. 2/
Esp “public intellectuals” (like Jordan B Peterson), or “bestselling” authors”, have built careers on monetizing their titles/credentials AND misrepresenting what science *actually* encompasses. 3/3
There is only 1 single way to prevent this from happening. And I am a HUGE proponent of this issue becoming the standard in every field of science Intellectual Diversity Includes Idiots If an abominable fuckwit has no hope of participating in REAL research, then their media bubble will fill that.
I used to think we could reason with the anti-science crowd but I grew up with these people & I’m tired of being ganged up on for my belief in evolution. It would be easy to explain how the immune system & vaccines work but then they’d have to change their minds. It’s the last thing they want to do.