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Avoiding politics is basically impossible, everything is political to some degree. For example, even if you just focus on the most boring maths, is it overwhelm

Avoiding politics is basically impossible, everything is political to some degree. For example, even if you just focus on the most boring maths, is it overwhelmingly just male mathematicians' work cited? That's political.

dragonwriter 8y ago
> For example, even if you just focus on the most boring maths, is it overwhelmingly just male mathematicians' work cited? That's political. No, it's not. (One might either attribute a political cause to it or seek a political correction for it, but inherently it's social but not directly “associated with the governance of a country or other area”.)
- p1necone 8y ago
  If we're actually resorting to quoting dictionary definitions then you missed ~80% of the page you copy pasted that from. Try "The principles relating to or inherent in a sphere or activity, especially when concerned with power and status." Regardless, I'm sure you understood perfectly well what the other commenters were meaning by "political", you're just arguing semantics. (edit: sorry for the snark, but this is such a common, easy way to derail discussion without really adding any substance so I try to call out stuff like this when I can.)
  - dragonwriter 8y ago
    > Try "The principles relating to or inherent in a sphere or activity, especially when concerned with power and status." The definition I cited is the one that fit the clear upthread use; yes, the are other senses of “political”, but to configure them is equivocation.
allthenews 8y ago
Truth is genderless. Historic gender imbalance in scientific work is only political if you have an axe to grind.
- goldenkey 8y ago
  Even the Nazi and Japanese experiments revealed biological truths. But I abhor the source and methods and it is a cardinal sin that many of these scientists were granted amnesty in exchange for full cooperation. Some truths become worth nothing when you know thst they were paved with lies. I don't think there is an easy way to act like truths don't have an associated social and cosmic cost.

dragonwriter 8y ago

> For example, even if you just focus on the most boring maths, is it overwhelmingly just male mathematicians' work cited? That's political. No, it's not. (One might either attribute a political cause to it or seek a political correction for it, but inherently it's social but not directly “associated with the governance of a country or other area”.)

p1necone 8y ago
If we're actually resorting to quoting dictionary definitions then you missed ~80% of the page you copy pasted that from. Try "The principles relating to or inherent in a sphere or activity, especially when concerned with power and status." Regardless, I'm sure you understood perfectly well what the other commenters were meaning by "political", you're just arguing semantics. (edit: sorry for the snark, but this is such a common, easy way to derail discussion without really adding any substance so I try to call out stuff like this when I can.)
- dragonwriter 8y ago
  > Try "The principles relating to or inherent in a sphere or activity, especially when concerned with power and status." The definition I cited is the one that fit the clear upthread use; yes, the are other senses of “political”, but to configure them is equivocation.

allthenews 8y ago

Truth is genderless. Historic gender imbalance in scientific work is only political if you have an axe to grind.

goldenkey 8y ago
Even the Nazi and Japanese experiments revealed biological truths. But I abhor the source and methods and it is a cardinal sin that many of these scientists were granted amnesty in exchange for full cooperation. Some truths become worth nothing when you know thst they were paved with lies. I don't think there is an easy way to act like truths don't have an associated social and cosmic cost.