Changes

I've found that [[scientist]]s strongly resent any attempt to verify their results. One of the typical reactions is: don't check our studies, do your own study. I don't think that businesses like being checked either, but one of the preconditions of being allowed to operate is that they are checked. Many of the most highly paid professionals in our society - securities lawyers, auditors - earn much of their income simply by verifying other people's results. Businesses developed [[checks and balances]] because other peoples' money was involved, not because businessmen are more virtuous than academics.

I've found that [[scientist]]s strongly resent any attempt to verify their results. One of the typical reactions is: don't check our studies, do your own study. I don't think that businesses like being checked either, but one of the preconditions of being allowed to operate is that they are checked. Many of the most highly paid professionals in our society - securities lawyers, auditors - earn much of their income simply by verifying other people's results. Businesses developed [[checks and balances]] because other peoples' money was involved, not because businessmen are more virtuous than academics.

Back when paleoclimate research had little implication outside academic seminar rooms, the lack of any adequate control procedures probably didn't matter much. However, now that huge public policy decisions are based, at least in part, on such studies, sophisticated procedural controls need to be developed and imposed. Climate scientists cannot expect to be the beneficiaries of public money and to influence public policy without also accepting the responsibility of providing much more adequate disclosure and due diligence. [http://www.climateaudit.org/index.php?p=66]

Back when [[paleoclimate]] research had little implication outside academic seminar rooms, the lack of any adequate control procedures probably didn't matter much. However, now that huge [[public policy]] decisions are based, at least in part, on such studies, sophisticated procedural controls need to be developed and imposed. [[Climate scientist]]s cannot expect to be the beneficiaries of public money and to influence public policy without also accepting the [[responsibility]] of providing much more adequate [[disclosure]] and [[due diligence]]. [http://www.climateaudit.org/index.php?p=66]