10th May 2005, 8:53 AM
Now you don't assume yet either ABF.
Perhaps I should be more clear Weltall. Scientists as a general rule don't let bias affect them. More accuratly, they design tests so that bias can't affect them at all, so the facts simply are without any bias in the way. Then, the only way for bias to have sway is if they simply ignore their own evidence. Some "scientists" are NOT scientific in their testing or in their analyzing of the results (which is to say, they ignore them or make up reasons why their tests didn't give the conclusions they wanted). The key is to simply examine the nature of these tests before making any conclusions yourself.
What I'm saying is this. Simply look into the matter. If these scientists refuse to give you any information, like some sort of runaround, then you can freely doubt the test's validity on the grounds that they are making the claim without backing it up. A good scientist is more than willing to provide the data to anyone who asks nicely. Do this, and you can find out exactly how the tests were performed. Look for double blinding, the standard of all good scientific tests.
Perhaps I should be more clear Weltall. Scientists as a general rule don't let bias affect them. More accuratly, they design tests so that bias can't affect them at all, so the facts simply are without any bias in the way. Then, the only way for bias to have sway is if they simply ignore their own evidence. Some "scientists" are NOT scientific in their testing or in their analyzing of the results (which is to say, they ignore them or make up reasons why their tests didn't give the conclusions they wanted). The key is to simply examine the nature of these tests before making any conclusions yourself.
What I'm saying is this. Simply look into the matter. If these scientists refuse to give you any information, like some sort of runaround, then you can freely doubt the test's validity on the grounds that they are making the claim without backing it up. A good scientist is more than willing to provide the data to anyone who asks nicely. Do this, and you can find out exactly how the tests were performed. Look for double blinding, the standard of all good scientific tests.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)