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from the whom-do-you-trust...-and-why? dept.
Given that collaboration [in science] is the norm, you may be asking yourself the eternal question: Who cares? How does the image of a lone scientist hero cause any danger to me?
The problem arises when there is a debate about a scientific topic. Following this structure, debate is a necessary and encouraged part of the scientific process. This debate happens before the idea is released to anyone outside of a few scientists and, while it can become heated at times, takes place with great respect between proponents of different viewpoints.
The danger can come when scientific results are released to the public. Our society now provides a platform for anyone to comment, regardless of his or her education, experience or even knowledge of the topic at hand.
While this is an excellent method of disseminating knowledge, it can also provide a platform for any opinion—regardless of the weight of data behind it—to be equal to that released in more traditional scientific ways.
Particularly in today's largely populist climate, people are looking to see the lone scientist hero overthrow the perceived dominance of facts coming from academia.
And herein lies the problem. In this situation, the opinion of a lone commenter may be considered on equal footing with that of tens or hundreds of people who have made the subject their life's work to ensure their interpretations are correct.
Everybody is entitled to their own scientific opinion, but everybody is not entitled to their own scientific facts?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @01:24AM (3 children)
Sorry, I thought you were smart enough to realize the implications by yourself without being lectured.
Normal scientists share results with known peers, compete for grants, abide by ethics
restraintsshackles, and care about shit like impact factors. Solitary scientists, if they care to share anything at all, would share results anonymously for the purpose of acquiring or distributing knowledge, to benefit directly from the knowledge of others or to spread their advances. They don't care about getting credit or a Nobel prize. They can conduct any unethical or illegal experiments they want. Interacting with others in the "solitary" way is a simple form of peer review that can benefit each individual. You are still operating your lab in your basement, unknown to your neighbors and contemporaries.The dark web is a necessary component, not stylistic, because anything less and your country's intelligence services will put you in cuffs or kill you. The FBI is monitoring the DIY biology community closely. They want to undermine good science under the guise of ethics and national security. Fuck them until death.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday November 23 2017, @01:56AM (2 children)
I wish** you to become the guinea pig for such an unethical and illegal scientist, in a non-lethal way. (Shall that one be virusology or experimental drugs? I'll let you decide between the two.)
Be it only for the reason to share with the 'white Web' the reasons for which ethical considerations are... ummm... a necessary evil in science.
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** I actually don't wish you this, but you should get the idea, smart as it seems you are.
Ummm... just in case you are not that smart, I'm sure I'll welcome you in my basement; I always wanted to get into 'evil chemistry' or drugs. I assure you I'll be as unethical towards you as you like, I might actually exceed your expectations... and I'll share the knowledge, derived from unethically using you, on the Web, the dark one if so you like. (grin)
PS I don't have a basement, so we may want to delay the things for a while.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 23 2017, @02:22AM (1 child)
Why bother kidnapping or coercing a guinea pig? At the end of this road, we will be making genetically modified babies in artificial wombs. All the test subjects you could ever need can be created in a lab with a low risk of exposure to the outside world. Basement, shipping container, shack in the woods, whatever fits your budget.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday November 23 2017, @02:31AM
For real world, in the field, experimental confirmation.
I mean... look, where's the evil part of the fun if your discovery doesn't lead to "world domination mwa-ha-ha-ha"? (grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford