What I have been calling nefarious rhetoric recurs in a rudimentary form also in impromptu discussions. Someone harbors a prejudice or an article of faith or a vested interest, and marshals ever more desperate and threadbare arguments in defense of his position rather than be swayed by reason or face the facts. Even more often, perhaps, the deterrent is just stubbon pride: reluctance to acknowledge error. Unscientific man is beset by a deplorable desire to have been right. The scientist is distinguished by a desire to be right.
— W. V. Quine, An Intermittently Philosophical Dictionary (a whimsical and fun read)
Usually I find myself deploying nefarious rhetoric when I believe something on good evidence but have temporarily forgotten the evidence (this is very embarrassing and happens to me a lot).
It’s folly to suppose that they’re not prone at all, but not so foolish to suppose either that their training makes them less biased, or that being less so biased makes people more likely to become scientists.
I think the quote is alluding to capital ‘S’ scientist rather than a particular group of humans. In theory a Scientist’s cause to be correct, while human scientists want to be right.
Yeah, the only thing I don’t like about the quote is that it has an unappealling us-vs.-them quality to it, as if the divide between rational people and irrational were totally clean-cut. Posted it regardless because of the nice turn of phrase at the end.
Of course, when you are trying to get more of “them” to be “us”, it’s worth pointing out what “they” are doing wrong. It’s not like anyone without brain damage is born and destined to be an “unscientific man” for life.
— W. V. Quine, An Intermittently Philosophical Dictionary (a whimsical and fun read)
Usually I find myself deploying nefarious rhetoric when I believe something on good evidence but have temporarily forgotten the evidence (this is very embarrassing and happens to me a lot).
Scientists are people too. It’s folly to imagine that scientists are less prone to bias and pride than non-scientists.
It’s folly to suppose that they’re not prone at all, but not so foolish to suppose either that their training makes them less biased, or that being less so biased makes people more likely to become scientists.
Ever heard the phrase “Science progresses one funeral at time”? Who do you think coined that phrase? Hint: It wasn’t trash collectors.
If scientists were really as open-minded and ego free as you claim, they wouldn’t spend their lives defending work from their youth.
I think the quote is alluding to capital ‘S’ scientist rather than a particular group of humans. In theory a Scientist’s cause to be correct, while human scientists want to be right.
Yeah, the only thing I don’t like about the quote is that it has an unappealling us-vs.-them quality to it, as if the divide between rational people and irrational were totally clean-cut. Posted it regardless because of the nice turn of phrase at the end.
Of course, when you are trying to get more of “them” to be “us”, it’s worth pointing out what “they” are doing wrong. It’s not like anyone without brain damage is born and destined to be an “unscientific man” for life.