Cornell Report - Industry Response

[Mark Walker]

Neil Jones wrote:


This is not the first time that Mr. Paul Cherubini has come up with the
idea that scientists are conspiring to misrepresent science for
personal financial gain.

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C'mon Neil, this is hardly a far-fetched idea.  I don't know anything about
a conspiracy theory, but the consideration that scientists sometimes mislead
the public or misrepresent facts (knowingly or otherwise) in order to
justify their own theories (and retain financial subsistence) is hardly
delusional.  Hey, we all agree - science is good.  But not all science is
good science, and clearly many motivations exist that lend themselves to bad
science (need for publication, peer acceptance, tenure, field trip finances,
etc.).

But that isn't the only concern here, IMO.  There's also the rapid,
ignorant, and non-discriminatory buy-in of all science by the general public
(educated or otherwise).  It amazes me how quickly scientific hypotheses are
reported on as being factual by even the most respected media organizations
(NPR, PBS, BBS, etc.).  Without crying conspiracy, it's perfectly legitimate
to be concerned about the propagation and detrimental side effects of bad
science-based media hype.

Just ask all of the Boomers out there who were unfairly deprived from being
breast-fed.  Traumatic.

Mark Walker.