There’s no such thing as just ‘following the science’ – advice is political | Jana Bacevic | Opinion

As we’re seeing in this pandemic, politicians tend to favour the evidence that supports their argument, says the sociologist Jana Bacevic

Source: There’s no such thing as just ‘following the science’ – advice is political | Jana Bacevic | Opinion | The Guardian

Jana Bacevic – Follow link for image credit / Fair Use/Fair Dealing rationale

Opinion:

Finally. A news headline with an intelligent message. This headline jumped out at me while going thru my RSS feeds. It deals with something I’ve been talking about for many years at earthpages, mostly to deaf ears.

Science is a human enterprise. It almost always involves small or large-p politics and economics.

Human beings select out and interpret reality. We are limiters and interpreters by nature. Our brains can only handle so much data. But the brain is flexible enough to handle that limited data in a variety of ways.

The construction and interpretation of scientific studies are no different. Science doesn’t fall out of the sky. Again, it is a human enterprise. Something human beings do.

This not only applies to ‘the science’ of Covid-19 but to any science, including climate change, ideas about health and illness, along with beliefs about mental health and illness.

It always amazes me how paradoxically clever and facile human beings can be.

Bell Let’s Talk Day – Follow link for image credit / Fair Use/Fair Dealing rationale

Language is one way we can further the dialog and make things better—that is, by talking about it.

Art and music is another way. Staying silent, on the other hand, rarely improves anything and usually displays weakness and rigidity.

That’s why freedom of expression is so important to the betterment of humanity. And also why we should fight against those oppressive regimes and players who threaten to extinguish it.

Let’s really talk. Not just toe the line and (consciously or unconsciously) reinforce taken-for-granted truth claims.

Are you up to being free? Or has ignorance and fear enslaved you?