Blinkered Scientists

[jomifl]

Scientists are often described as 'blinkered' on AB by people who have theories that cannot be justified or accommodated by mainstream science. It seems ironic that the 'unblinkered' have contributed next to nothing to the fund of human knowledge yet can be so dismissive of scientists and science. Or are my blinkers wrongly fitted?

[naomi24]

Oh, I don't know. Newton was quite religious. ;o)

[jomifl]

This isn't about religion...

[daisya]

Lol jom..I think Naomi knew that (wink)

[naomi24]

//It seems ironic that the 'unblinkered' have contributed next to nothing to the fund of human knowledge //

I thought it was often the religious that accused science of being blinkered. Who are you talking about then?

[jomifl]

Naomi, I am unable to apportion accusations of blinkeredness to any specific philosophical categories of mankind as I have insufficient data (none actually). If posters to this thread would like to categorize themselves and declare their views re. blinkers then perhaps some-one with more spare time than sense would find the information useful. personally I don't give a monkey's :-)

[naomi24]

Fair enough. I'll leave it to those who would like to categorise themselves then. ;o)

[jno]

personally I don't give a monkey's

always a good reason to start a thread, I suppose.

[jim360]

It might just be, in fairness, personal experience over-riding all other considerations. Most people trust themselves over other people so that if you had some experience and someone says oh no that's impossible, I imagine no amount of saying that in the world can override the "but it happened to me" response. Whether or not the experience in question was possible.

Typical examples include "my uncle smoked like a chimney and never caught cancer therefore smoking isn't dangerous", etc.

[ToraToraTora]

I simply ask why no one has picked of James Randi's $1m.
http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html
now if you really belived that you had any of the special "powers" or that homeopathy, etc works then that would be an easy $1m bucks would it not?

I'll carry on being "blinkered"

[ToraToraTora]

jim, a lot of that is caused by the unfortunately named ideomotor effect, as in water devining for example. I have a friend who can reliably find known water with welding rods! and as such is 100% convinced that he/deviners have special powers! Funny that he won't do a scientific test though and just sneers. I said we could split the million!

[IggyB]

I have no idea what this question is about, is it aimed soley at some poster or posters on AB who have called scientists blinkered and is asking for those posters to describe how they have advanced scientific understanding?

If you don't give a monkey's about your question how / why should I?

[Sqad]

jim

\\\\Typical examples include "my uncle smoked like a chimney and never caught cancer therefore smoking isn't dangerous", etc. \\\\

Wow!.....scientists say that smoking CAUSES cancer.

Now, let's re write your example.
"my uncle smoked like a chimney and never caught cancer , therefore smoking doesn't cause cancer"

Would you accept that revised quotation?

[jim360]

Smoking increases the likelihood for people to catch lung, mouth, throat cancer. Quite significantly, usually? And not just cancers either, but also other lung diseases.

It's nevertheless true that a lot of people go for the "it'll never happen to me" approach for certain diseases or dangerous activities.

[Sqad]

Jim! Jim!...you haven't answered my question:

"my uncle smoked like a chimney and never caught cancer , therefore smoking doesn't cause cancer"

Would you accept that revised quotation?

[Calibax]

^It's down to people's very poor understanding of probability and long term as opposed to short term risk.
No one would ever say, 'My uncle jumped out of a third floor window and was unhurt therefore it's not dangerous to jump out of a third floor window'.

[jim360]

I don't know if I would or not, Sqad -- I think that statement makes things too black and white.

[Sqad]

Jim......LOL....I am in a "baiting" mood today.......;-)

[ToraToraTora]

anyone can find an example that backs their view sqad.

[jim360]

I wondered...

There are people who smoke and don't get cancer. There are people who don't smoke who do. There is also a significant overlap. But this wasn't about smoking was it?

[Sqad]

TTT....LOL.....yes i am beginning to learn that.....late in life;-)
Yes........I think scientists do tend to become "blinkered"...slightly.