Difference between revisions of "Conservapedia:Science"
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| + | When we write about science and scientific subjects, we must be careful to distinguish between knowledge and supposition. Do not confuse guesses with facts. For example, when researchers see that children have the same problems as their parents and grandparents, they often assume this is because of [[genetics]]. We need to distinguish between proven links (as in sickle-cell anemia) and mere speculation (as in [[autism]]). | ||
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| + | In general, when two factors occur at the same time, scientists try to discover if they both have the same cause or if one is causing the other. Until a theory has been proven, it is common however for scientists (or adocacy journalists or politicians) to pretend that the matter is settled; ofter this happens the same week a scientific paper is published. Journalists frequently seem unaware of the need for [[independent review]] and are prone to trumpet a single peer-reviewed paper as the "latest findings of science". We should not make the same mistake | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Issues in science]] | ||
Revision as of 14:11, February 8, 2010
This a proposal to improve Conservapedia or its policies and guidelines. It is not official, and does not have wide acceptance. Please regard it as tentative and formative.
When we write about science and scientific subjects, we must be careful to distinguish between knowledge and supposition. Do not confuse guesses with facts. For example, when researchers see that children have the same problems as their parents and grandparents, they often assume this is because of genetics. We need to distinguish between proven links (as in sickle-cell anemia) and mere speculation (as in autism). In general, when two factors occur at the same time, scientists try to discover if they both have the same cause or if one is causing the other. Until a theory has been proven, it is common however for scientists (or adocacy journalists or politicians) to pretend that the matter is settled; ofter this happens the same week a scientific paper is published. Journalists frequently seem unaware of the need for independent review and are prone to trumpet a single peer-reviewed paper as the "latest findings of science". We should not make the same mistake