> Bharathi Jagadeesh wrote:
>> >But
> >strong opinions are what science is all about!
Karen Lona Allendoerfer <ka143 at columbia.edu> writes
> I thought that testing hypotheses and gathering empirical data were
> what science was all about. I find that people's strong opinions get in the
> way, more often than not, of getting at what the data actually says. The
> stronger their opinions beforehand, the more likely they are to see what
> they want to see in the data.
Hypotheses are opinions. And gathering emprical data without them is not
what science is to me.
I do agree that those who hold opinions that are not subject alteration
when faced with data that disagrees are wrong, though.
> I found this post extremely interesting, but mostly it left me full
> of wonder at the differences in human perceptions, experiences, and
> opinions. I know that I never would have come to the conclusion that any
> aspect of modern society, including science, was getting too civil or that
> people were now wrongly "too afraid" of stepping on other people's toes.
> I am really grateful that I haven't had to put up with some of the
> stuff that Dierdre or Mary Ann have, for example.
I think that I might have been mis-leading in what I am willing to put
up with. I too haven't had to put up with the things that pioneers have
had to tolerate. Events that come to my mind include a woman scientist
who told me that the chairman of the department had asked her if she
"was really sure that she wanted the position, because it might be too
difficult for a young woman like her." Or the description of Watson
enjoying having "pretty faces" in his laboratory, and for that reason
giving opportunities to women who would otherwise not have had them. Or
Stanford's biochemistry department not admitting women. Or my
undergraduate institution (Caltech) admitting women only fifteen years
before I attended. Or being told that "young misses like me should
respect their elders." These things haven't happened to me. I think that
we should be extremely intolerant of them when they do.
