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I'm of the impression that they want to replace government-backed science with commerce-backed science here. I think they have the right idea; everone knows fo

I'm of the impression that they want to replace government-backed science with commerce-backed science here. I think they have the right idea; everone knows following the market is a moral imperative, that smoking is attractive and you are #healthyatanysize. Obviously those leacherous government scientists should be put out of a job. They are harming commerce and therewith the proletariat. They gotta go!

caseysoftware 9y ago
If government-backed science is science, then commerce-backed science is science too. Unless you're suggestion that scientists - as humans = can fall prey to the same corruption and motivations that anyone else can. If that is the case, are you suggesting that government-backed scientists are above human motivations?
- cryptarch 9y ago
  I'm suggesting it is an odd assumption that government-backed science would be less prone to conflicts of interest than commerce-/corporate-backed science. I find it hard to understand the conflict of interest with government-backed science. Scientist A gets a grant to do research, spends it on research and reasonable salaries for PhD's, and goes on to join the EPA board. So what? It only becomes a conflict of interest if they then start allocating funds to their friends or to themselves, but that's almost too obvious. What does them having previously received grants have to do with anything? Why would they then be more corruptable than private sector scientists? At least in the case of government-backed science, the research goals are generally aligned with government interests. I don't see how that's sinister in the general case. On the other hand, it seems much easier to find dark motives in research conducted by corporations. For instance, why would you publish research that is bad for your company? What am I missing here?
  - caseysoftware 9y ago
    > At least in the case of government-backed science, the research goals are generally aligned with government interests. Personally, I prefer science to be aligned with finding truth and understanding, not with any particular group's interests.
    - brianwawok 9y ago
      Sadly truth and understanding do not have a budget to pay scientists. So funding must flow from somewhere...
      - cryptarch 9y ago
        Indeed, a group that provides funding might be aligned with truth and progress, but that's just one of the many options and often there are many conflicting values and incentives at play.

caseysoftware 9y ago

If government-backed science is science, then commerce-backed science is science too. Unless you're suggestion that scientists - as humans = can fall prey to the same corruption and motivations that anyone else can. If that is the case, are you suggesting that government-backed scientists are above human motivations?

cryptarch 9y ago
I'm suggesting it is an odd assumption that government-backed science would be less prone to conflicts of interest than commerce-/corporate-backed science. I find it hard to understand the conflict of interest with government-backed science. Scientist A gets a grant to do research, spends it on research and reasonable salaries for PhD's, and goes on to join the EPA board. So what? It only becomes a conflict of interest if they then start allocating funds to their friends or to themselves, but that's almost too obvious. What does them having previously received grants have to do with anything? Why would they then be more corruptable than private sector scientists? At least in the case of government-backed science, the research goals are generally aligned with government interests. I don't see how that's sinister in the general case. On the other hand, it seems much easier to find dark motives in research conducted by corporations. For instance, why would you publish research that is bad for your company? What am I missing here?
- caseysoftware 9y ago
  > At least in the case of government-backed science, the research goals are generally aligned with government interests. Personally, I prefer science to be aligned with finding truth and understanding, not with any particular group's interests.
  - brianwawok 9y ago
    Sadly truth and understanding do not have a budget to pay scientists. So funding must flow from somewhere...
    - cryptarch 9y ago
      Indeed, a group that provides funding might be aligned with truth and progress, but that's just one of the many options and often there are many conflicting values and incentives at play.