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Well, the problem is that the end result was proof of ego depletion. We can move the goalposts and say, "Wait, no this new nullification is the true end result,

Well, the problem is that the end result was proof of ego depletion. We can move the goalposts and say, "Wait, no this new nullification is the true end result," but those 100 studies ruled the roost for quite some time. The reality is that the end results are usually terrible and a lot of science out there is straight up junk science designed to chase grants and to lean on journal biases to get published, especially in the social sciences. The problem is we don't really have a better alternative so working with a clock that's right twice a day is much better than having no clocks at all. We might have hit organizational limits on how well we can do science on this level. With funding comes politics, with journals comes bias, with publishing comes perverse incentives, challenging big egos is difficult, unknowns have to 'pay their dues', small universities and institutions don't have influence compared to their larger peers, the sometimes political tenure process, etc. Hell, the article itself even calls out Carter's relatively young age or for not being tenured in an almost "Can we trust this young nobody," way.

crpatino 11y ago
> "Can we trust this young nobody," way. That's normal science at work. Old sages are biased, like everybody else. Fortunately, they are mortal too [1], and science keeps moving forward 'one funeral at a time', as the saying goes. The problem is with people who want to substitute faith in the Divine Providence of God, with faith in the (eventual) Unfailibility of Science. We are just a bunch of social primates, after all. We were never meant to peek into the Deep Mysteries of Existence, anyways... which does not mean we cannot use our relatively advanced intelects to figure out a bunch of clever and useful tricks. ======= edit: comment [1] [1] Something that is nightmare fuel to me is that one day we are going to stumble upon some serious life extending technology, and then we will all end up under the thumb of a bunch of ancient, obstinated fools who cannot/won't accept the limits of their own leadership skills.
- Retra 11y ago
  Here's how I console myself: if those old obstinate fools are actually poor leaders, they will make worse decisions as a result, and thus not be as effective at marginalizing error as they should be, so they will be unable to avoid the unforeseen things that will get them killed.

crpatino 11y ago

> "Can we trust this young nobody," way. That's normal science at work. Old sages are biased, like everybody else. Fortunately, they are mortal too [1], and science keeps moving forward 'one funeral at a time', as the saying goes. The problem is with people who want to substitute faith in the Divine Providence of God, with faith in the (eventual) Unfailibility of Science. We are just a bunch of social primates, after all. We were never meant to peek into the Deep Mysteries of Existence, anyways... which does not mean we cannot use our relatively advanced intelects to figure out a bunch of clever and useful tricks. ======= edit: comment [1] [1] Something that is nightmare fuel to me is that one day we are going to stumble upon some serious life extending technology, and then we will all end up under the thumb of a bunch of ancient, obstinated fools who cannot/won't accept the limits of their own leadership skills.

Retra 11y ago
Here's how I console myself: if those old obstinate fools are actually poor leaders, they will make worse decisions as a result, and thus not be as effective at marginalizing error as they should be, so they will be unable to avoid the unforeseen things that will get them killed.