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from the journal-of-stupid-ideas-no-one-wants-to-take-responsibility-for dept.
The Journal of Controversial Ideas is already, well, controversial. Here's a founder's defense.
News broke last week that philosophers Jeff McMahan, Peter Singer, and Francesca Minerva are planning to start a publication called the Journal of Controversial Ideas, an interdisciplinary academic outlet where scholars will be allowed to present arguments and findings pseudonymously, without fear of damaging their reputation.
Almost immediately, the journal was cast as another volley in the wars over free speech and political correctness on college campuses. Critics mocked it as an attempt by white, privileged academics (while Minerva is a postdoc, Singer and McMahan are both among the most prominent applied ethicists in philosophy) to smuggle reactionary and bigoted views that academics would not feel comfortable airing under their own names. Not helping matters was McMahan's declaration to a reporter that he would be open to publishing an article defending eugenics, if its arguments were of sufficient quality.
"Essentially, it is a safe space, one where authors do not have to deal with feedback or criticism from those at the sharp end of their 'controversial' ideas," Nesrine Malik warned of the journal in a Guardian column. "It is publishing without the responsibility that comes along with that."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @01:41AM (4 children)
If you do experiments which are illegal, you are still doing science. For example, finding new ways to grow and create controlled substances, or "unethical" gene editing experiments. You could share the results anonymously so that others can learn from them and attempt replication on their own. Participants can use digital signatures to verify the pseudonymous origin of results if wanted.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @02:37AM (1 child)
I have always wondered about this. So what is Dr. Mengele's handle on Gab, anyways?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @11:17AM
It's Operation Paperclip.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @05:34AM (1 child)
Has the science ever been illegal, or rather illegal for the government to fund it?
(Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 24 2018, @04:36PM
Yes, and yes.
Cannabis research has been totally illegal for decades. No one was allowed to possess it, or work with it, or publish anything about it. Completely illegal.
Stem cell research was entirely different. Government funds were forbidden to be used for stem cell research. I think the taboo was against embryo or infant stem cells, but it may have included all stem cell research. But, if you could get funding, you could do your research without fearing prison.