How Language, Observation, and Politics Dont Really Allow It
The (Noble) Myth of Objectivity:
Slide 2
Science Writing (from the article) Conventional Clear Concise
Accurate Formal Objective Cautious Avoids Direct Quotes Illustrated
with Figures
Slide 3
Science Writing (from the article) Conventional Clear Concise
Accurate Formal Objective Cautious Avoids Direct Quotes Illustrated
with Figures
Slide 4
Definitions (which, Irony Alert, we know are somewhat
subjective)
Slide 5
The Myth Aim of Objectivity Not betray personal investment in a
topic Not show any emotive response to experiment or results Sadly,
all mice used in the experiment died. Not prejudice the
reader/public towards a certain interpretation or course of action
Avoid making a claim that cannot be supported by evidence Maintain
the illusion that we can gain direct, pure knowledge of the world
Cause that illusion is a shiny object of comforting hope
Slide 6
The Myth of Objectivity Personal investment is implied by the
very nature of someone choosing to study something And is partially
set by larger contexts Language is full of emotional connotations
that will always betray the emotions involved Confirmation Bias
Though facts themselves may not be ethical/unethical, why seek them
if not to debate/legislate ethical action?
Slide 7
Personal Investment/Contexts Science is not too different from
the University, if we go back to Edmundson. And, of course, a lot
of Science takes place in Universities.
Slide 8
Stem Cell Research Stem Cells: raw building block cells that
can be guided to create new cells, offering potential for repairing
tissue damage, test the safety of new drugs, and potentially cure
diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, etc. Problem: Potentially most
useful stem cells come from 3-5 day old human embryos and can be
seen as destroying a potential human life to save another.
Slide 9
Keysar, et al 2012: People Make Different Choices in Different
Languages Recently, a dangerous new disease has been going around.
Without medicine, 600,000 people will die from it. In order to save
these people, two types of medicine are being made. If you choose
Medicine A, 200,000 people will be saved. If you choose Medicine B,
there is a 33.3% chance that 600,000 people will be saved and a
66.6% chance that no one will be saved
Slide 10
Gendered Language, Expectations, and Connotation Ombudsman - a
person charged with investigating complaints levied towards an
administrative organization or public authority "We are determined
to deliver superior medical treatment tailored to each individual
patient. We are committed to providing top quality health care that
is sympathetic to the needs of our patients."
Slide 11
Finding Meaning Jacobs-Rosenbaum Levin Thorne Hayes Ohman
Jacobs is a reference to Jacob's ladder, traditionally allegorized
as a figure for the Christian ascent to heaven. In this poem,
however, the means of ascent is not a ladder but a tree, a rose
tree or rosenbaum. This is a reference to the Virgin Mary who was
often characterized as a rose without thorns. It at once poses the
question, "How is it that a man can climb to heaven by means of a
rose tree?" and directed the reader to the inevitable answer: by
the fruit of that tree, the fruit of Mary's womb, Jesus. The word
"thorne," can only be an allusion to the crown of thorns, a symbol
of the trial suffered by Jesus and of the price he paid to save us
all. Its only a short step from this insight to the recognition of
Levin as a double reference, first to the tribe of Levi, of whose
priestly function Christ was the fulfillment, and second to the
unleavened bread carried by the children of Israel on their exodus
from Egypt, the place of sin, and in response to the call of Moses,
perhaps the most familiar of the old testament types of Christ. The
final word of could be "omen," especially since so much of the poem
is concerned with foreshadowing and prophecy; and it could, of
course, be simply "amen.
Slide 12
Finding Meaning (no matter what) Jacobs-Rosenbaum Levin Thorne
Hayes Ohman Jacobs is a reference to Jacob's ladder, traditionally
allegorized as a figure for the Christian ascent to heaven. In this
poem, however, the means of ascent is not a ladder but a tree, a
rose tree or rosenbaum. This is a reference to the Virgin Mary who
was often characterized as a rose without thorns. It at once poses
the question, "How is it that a man can climb to heaven by means of
a rose tree?" and directed the reader to the inevitable answer: by
the fruit of that tree, the fruit of Mary's womb, Jesus. The word
"thorne," can only be an allusion to the crown of thorns, a symbol
of the trial suffered by Jesus and of the price he paid to save us
all. Its only a short step from this insight to the recognition of
Levin as a double reference, first to the tribe of Levi, of whose
priestly function Christ was the fulfillment, and second to the
unleavened bread carried by the children of Israel on their exodus
from Egypt, the place of sin, and in response to the call of Moses,
perhaps the most familiar of the old testament types of Christ. The
final word of could be "omen," especially since so much of the poem
is concerned with foreshadowing and prophecy; and it could, of
course, be simply "amen.
Slide 13
Expectation and Perception Bruner and Postman (1949) I cant
make the suit out, whatever it is. It didnt even look like a card
that time. I dont know what color it is now or whether its a spade
or a heart. Im not even sure now what a spade looks like. My
God!
Slide 14
Confirmation Bias The tendency to overlook information (in
daily life or even in an experiment) that doesnt fit our already
formed worldview or would contradict the results we want.
Slide 15
Confirmation Bias Today a young man on acid realized that all
matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are
all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no
such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the
imagination of ourselves. Heres Tom with the Weather. -- Bill
Hicks
Slide 16
Confirmation Bias Jacques Benveniste studied homeopathy (an
alternative medicine system where a substance that would cause
disease in some is thought to be the cure in others) Histimine- a
substance in the body that is released during allergic reactions
(essentially the chemical reason your eyes water and itch or your
sinuses become congested) Water has memory!!!... Or not
Slide 17
Theories versus Laws Law: An empirical generalization; a
statement of a biological principle that appears to be without
exception at the time it is made, and has become consolidated by
repeated successful testing (Lincoln et al., 1990) Theory: A
scientifically accepted general principle supported by a
substantial body of evidence offered to provide an explanation of
observed facts and as a basis for future discussion or
investigation (Lincoln et al., 1990)
Slide 18
A Controversial Statement Once the experiments are done and the
data are out there, scientists may argue forcefully for the
appropriateness of their conclusions and for the policies they
believe should follow (Kennedy, 2008) Reagan, Abortion, and Major
(1997)