Science and Science Fiction

The Administration is proposing to set up a committee to study an already well-studied phenomenon - climate change. Some of the names being discussed have questionable credentials.

When I was in college, one of my professors set up a required critical reading class, because he realized we lacked those skills. I remember the very first paper. It appeared to be a very cogent argument on how male deer with the largest antlers get in more fights and die sooner. As a result, male deer with larger antlers don't have as many offspring as males with smaller antlers. It was the author's expert argument that inheriting the genes for large antlers was bad. It was very well-reasoned, we thought, and we came into the class all prepared to hear a critical review of the paper's findings.

The first question the professor asked us was, "Did any of you review the author's credentials?"

It turns out the learned expert was a pharmacologist. A pharmacologist with no experience, no credentials, in evolutionary biology. In kind terms, not an expert. In unkind terms, a fraud.

Before you accept any "scientific findings" from anyone, check their credentials.

The professor then proceeded to demolish the "expert's" analysis.

Thank you, Dr. Rodolfo Ruibal, for teaching me how to be a critical reader.