5 ms·

The report (not a paper) is actually written for a lay audience and very readable: https://www.nas.org/images/documents/irreproducibility_report/NAS_irreproduci

The report (not a paper) is actually written for a lay audience and very readable: https://www.nas.org/images/documents/irreproducibility_report/NAS_irreproducibilityReport.pdf https://www.nas.org/images/documents/irreproducibility_repor...

HarryHirsch 8y ago
It's a position paper from a conservative think tank and needs to be treated as such.
- ItsMe000001 8y ago
  > and needs to be treated as such What does that even mean? You have one point "it's a conservative think tank" - which does not mean anything - coupled with another empty statement. Now I sure don't mind criticism of that entity, but I find it ironic that it is done with such an empty statement that's just a not very cleverly disguised type of ad hominem attack. May I suggest you take some time actually reading the paper and then coming back with criticism of their actual points?
  - samfriedman 8y ago
    It is absolutely relevant to consider the political motivations of publishers of reports like this, when the publisher is a politically active organization as opposed to an independent research group. While the report itself may not push an obvious partisan agenda, a critical reader should consider the conservative agenda of the NAS in relation to why they might publish such a report. In the conservative wing's long-standing opposition to science, it's not far-fetched to view this report as being published tactically -- even if all of its points are well-founded -- as something to point to when future efforts attempt to undermine science-based policy on issues like climate change, stem-cell research, abortion, etc. Especially when the President of the NAS is a public "climate skeptic". https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/bottling-up-global-warming-skepticism/29754 https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/bottling-up-glob...
  - HarryHirsch 8y ago
    A position paper aims to make a political position appealing, a study about the sociology of science on the other hand would seek explanations for a position. Pointing out the purpose of something isn't a character attack.
- Afforess 8y ago
  Ad hominem has never been a valid reason to disbelieve something. I quite enjoyed reading the report - it includes XKCD references and everything.
  - jnordwick 8y ago
    That you're being voted down shows that HN has really changed. (I blame all the overtly political articles that I believe have changed the tenor of the site, and politics has infected every article now. Thanks @dang!)
    - sctb 8y ago
      If you won't stop posting this off-topic meta noise that we've asked you many times before to cut out, we'll ban the account. Post according to the guidelines or not at all. Fulminate elsewhere. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- kiziaru 8y ago
  What makes it a conservative think tank?
  - wRastel27 8y ago
    From the intro: The new, alternative view, was that college and universities should be places where fresh ideas untrammeled by hidden connections to the established structures of power in American society should have the chance to develop themselves. In practice this meant a hearty welcome to neo-Marxism, radical feminism, historicism, post-colonialism, deconstructionism, post-modernism, liberation theology, and a host of other ideologies. Also from the intro: The National Association of Scholars (NAS) has long been interested in the politicization of science.

HarryHirsch 8y ago

It's a position paper from a conservative think tank and needs to be treated as such.

ItsMe000001 8y ago
> and needs to be treated as such What does that even mean? You have one point "it's a conservative think tank" - which does not mean anything - coupled with another empty statement. Now I sure don't mind criticism of that entity, but I find it ironic that it is done with such an empty statement that's just a not very cleverly disguised type of ad hominem attack. May I suggest you take some time actually reading the paper and then coming back with criticism of their actual points?
- samfriedman 8y ago
  It is absolutely relevant to consider the political motivations of publishers of reports like this, when the publisher is a politically active organization as opposed to an independent research group. While the report itself may not push an obvious partisan agenda, a critical reader should consider the conservative agenda of the NAS in relation to why they might publish such a report. In the conservative wing's long-standing opposition to science, it's not far-fetched to view this report as being published tactically -- even if all of its points are well-founded -- as something to point to when future efforts attempt to undermine science-based policy on issues like climate change, stem-cell research, abortion, etc. Especially when the President of the NAS is a public "climate skeptic". https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/bottling-up-global-warming-skepticism/29754 https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/bottling-up-glob...
- HarryHirsch 8y ago
  A position paper aims to make a political position appealing, a study about the sociology of science on the other hand would seek explanations for a position. Pointing out the purpose of something isn't a character attack.
Afforess 8y ago
Ad hominem has never been a valid reason to disbelieve something. I quite enjoyed reading the report - it includes XKCD references and everything.
- jnordwick 8y ago
  That you're being voted down shows that HN has really changed. (I blame all the overtly political articles that I believe have changed the tenor of the site, and politics has infected every article now. Thanks @dang!)
  - sctb 8y ago
    If you won't stop posting this off-topic meta noise that we've asked you many times before to cut out, we'll ban the account. Post according to the guidelines or not at all. Fulminate elsewhere. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
kiziaru 8y ago
What makes it a conservative think tank?
- wRastel27 8y ago
  From the intro: The new, alternative view, was that college and universities should be places where fresh ideas untrammeled by hidden connections to the established structures of power in American society should have the chance to develop themselves. In practice this meant a hearty welcome to neo-Marxism, radical feminism, historicism, post-colonialism, deconstructionism, post-modernism, liberation theology, and a host of other ideologies. Also from the intro: The National Association of Scholars (NAS) has long been interested in the politicization of science.