What I’ve learned after years in the field is that what most scientists really want to do is prove how smart they are
What I’ve learned after years of being a decent human being is that most scientists are regular people who don’t appreciate being insulted. I’m a scientist, my parents are scientists, my best friends, my teachers, my sister, my uncle, aunt, and two cousins are scientists.
what most scientists really want to do is prove how smart they are
That’s offensive, and the rest of the post comes off similarly.
In response to fubarobfusco: there is a major difference between “fuck you!” and “I’ve been personally offended by you. Here’s why.”
This is one of the very few cases where I feel the need to explain a downvote. The passage that you quoted and responded to was not worth the response. iDante’s comment could be summarized as “fuck you!” — an otherwise contentless exclamation of hostility — so it should be downvoted without response.
(I also think meta comments about the voting system should be downvoted; but I can’t downvote my own comment. Go ahead.)
In the past four decades, behavioral economists and cognitive psychologists have discovered many cognitive biases human brains fall prey to when thinking and deciding. (LessWrong homepage)
I’m a human, my parents are humans, my best friends are humans, my teachers, my sister, my uncle, aunt, and cousins are humans.
Now, should I feel offended?
Or should I learn about my biases and try to become stronger?
No, because the claim on the front page is backed up by evidence. It’s not just pulled out of one person’s limited experiences. It IS offensive to negatively stereotype a group of people without evidence.
The author’s great “problems” of science are the same way. A broad generalization is made from limited experience, then no actual investigation is performed. Bold assertions are provided in place of careful statistics. The conclusion, “the biggest problem in science is management,” is utterly unconvincing.
What I’ve learned after years of being a decent human being is that most scientists are regular people who don’t appreciate being insulted. I’m a scientist, my parents are scientists, my best friends, my teachers, my sister, my uncle, aunt, and two cousins are scientists.
That’s offensive, and the rest of the post comes off similarly.
In response to fubarobfusco: there is a major difference between “fuck you!” and “I’ve been personally offended by you. Here’s why.”
Whether something is offensive or not should be distinguished from whether or not it is true (or even whether or not it is relevant).
I should have said “That’s offensive and untrue, and the rest of the post comes off similarly.”
This is one of the very few cases where I feel the need to explain a downvote. The passage that you quoted and responded to was not worth the response. iDante’s comment could be summarized as “fuck you!” — an otherwise contentless exclamation of hostility — so it should be downvoted without response.
(I also think meta comments about the voting system should be downvoted; but I can’t downvote my own comment. Go ahead.)
I’m a human, my parents are humans, my best friends are humans, my teachers, my sister, my uncle, aunt, and cousins are humans.
Now, should I feel offended?
Or should I learn about my biases and try to become stronger?
No, because the claim on the front page is backed up by evidence. It’s not just pulled out of one person’s limited experiences. It IS offensive to negatively stereotype a group of people without evidence.
The author’s great “problems” of science are the same way. A broad generalization is made from limited experience, then no actual investigation is performed. Bold assertions are provided in place of careful statistics. The conclusion, “the biggest problem in science is management,” is utterly unconvincing.