Scientific Hoaxes And The Critical Mind
By Thomas73
@Thomas73 (1467)
Switzerland
March 7, 2007 4:48am CST
I recently read an article by Lynda Walsh, an Assistant Professor of English at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, dealing with 19th century writer publishing scientific hoaxes in order to make a statement on the day's society. I would like to share her conclusions with you:
"Why did literary writers such as Poe and Twain fool thousands of readers with concocted life science stories? During the mid-19th century, life scientists such as Louis Pasteur and Charles Darwin were helping to change who Americans turned to in order to learn the truth about their universe -- away from preachers, poets, and philosophers, and toward scientists. Writers like Poe and Twain fought back against this perceived attack with guerilla tactics, exploiting readers' unthinking trust in science and fascination with fake stories that read just like the real thing. Once readers were taken in, the writers revealed their hoaxes, using strategies ranging from Twain's subtle textual clues to Poe's drunken revelation of his Balloon-Hoax on the steps of the New York Sun six hours after it came off the presses. If you don't know enough about science to tell a fake report from a real one, they reasoned, how can you be so sure that scientists are telling you the truth?"
"In the end, these media hoaxes didn't significantly inhibit the progress of the life sciences because they were written by outsiders and intended to launch a social critique -- a critique of readers' gullibility as much as a critique of the power of science in American culture. Even so, the media hoaxes of the 19th century are a powerful reminder that we all consume science news through a filter of our own values, beliefs, and assumptions."
Although these events took place some 150 years ago, the recent Sokal hoax demonstrates how willing we are to be deceived about matters we believe strongly in. We are likely to be more critical of articles which attack our position than we are of those which we think supports it. Moreover, if those hoaxes have been identified as such by their authors, some are still taken seriously by a whole community of misinformed people who, sadly, keep believing in those falsehoods and even spread them far and wide. Creationism anyone?
8 people like this
4 responses
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
7 Mar 07
In the same category as a scientific hoax is the distrubing practice of incorporating scientific studies (often of dubious quality) into stealth marketing campaigns. That's a marketing campaign disguised as the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Trying to expose this tactic causes believers with "faith in science" to look at you askew.
I have almost given up trying to explain to most that this goes on. The "true believers" of science have much in common with other "true believers".
Great thread, Thomas73.
2 people like this
@Melizzy (1381)
• United States
21 Mar 07
As usual Thomas, you have raised some very intelligent and important issues and points. When we really, truly want to believe something about someone or some thing, we will suspend belief and that which we know to be true to make it so. Human nature I suppose.
@tarachand (3895)
• India
26 Mar 07
The difference this time around methinks was that Sokal was the scientist who pulled fast one on the publishers or 'literary experts" if one twists the meaning of the term a bit. Twain and Poe were considered literary geniuses of thier time, these were the guys who conscieved the hoaxes to belie the scientific community, if I have understood your discussion correctly.
@DeaXyza (577)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Well said. People always wanted to believe in something or someone. God vs scientist is an intresting theory. Many years ago it was God who won hands down but now it is sciences that win. I feel since Science has led the path for us to believe that there are things like bacteria and viruses which can be gotten rid of without the help of God! we have started to believe more and more in science but somewhere in between God and Sciences we have started to believe in theories too, which is a setback.
Science in a matter of few decades has made so many advancements that now people believe everything that is scientific blindly. The truth is even scientific findings need to be taken with a pinch of salt, 'cos now a days science is as shamelessly covered by the media as beauty is and sometimes to our horror in a negative manner. Case point is butter is bad Canola oil or olive oil based Oleo is better or that Eggs are bad for health. But now suddenly butter and eggs are good and the media laps up these news like new born pup to their mother. Or like some researches are paid by the company that wants to sell their products so the research is more oriented to the company that paid the money for the analysis. The recent case point being the story Of HPV and Gaurdasil. HPV or Human Papilloma Virus was talked about earnestly on every damn TV channel about 4-6 months ago, and now 6 months down the line a pharmaceutical company has come up with a vaccine for HPV and the worst case is that they have infact convinced some of the states in US to administer this vaccine to all girls above age 11 ( forcefully) and the fine points of this vaccine very implicitly states that it protects only certain forms (only 4 types) of HPV's and not all (there are more than 100 types), it also states that inspite of taking the vaccine one has all the risks of developing cancer due to HPV. The best news is yet to come 'cos the US lawmakers are seriously thinking of implementing a law that states all girls above 11 will have to be vaccinated like it or not, the best part of this whole false campaign is none of the ( not even a single one) insurance company shall pay for this vaccine so the kids not will be vaccinated against their will , but the parents will have to fork an unecessary amount of money for a vaccine that is practically worthless!
My case point being people should fight against these false campaingns that are concocted by the Science + Pharmaceutical industry + the greedy lawmakers who pocket the money given by big companies and leave the gullible fools like us high and dry!
Many people want to believe everything media hypes up 'cos they want to be adjusted to what is going around in the world of science. what they do not understand is that media in cahoots with science work up stories that are truly believable. But the intelligent people do not just believe all that the media spews , people also read and talk to friends, colleagues etc and then come to conclusion about certain things.
At the end of the day people should make up their own minds about certain things like foods, medicines and cosmetics. The over dependency on the media should go. Also there will always be people like Alan Sokal but we need to be more prudent in believing things unless a few other peers do not validate a theory, people should take theories as just that "theories".
Creationism according to me is not even a theory it is just a false representation of facts not available founded by people who believe in organized religion. Sadly I am a follower of organized religion but I have tempered it with some scientific findings called eveolution to get the best of both worlds.
I hope I made sense in the whole ranting post. Cheers
1 person likes this
@DeaXyza (577)
• United States
29 Mar 07
oh and one more thing if people are not sure of things they should discuss the topic and not say it out in public as if it were a fact! but sadly mostly people think they would look foolish if one has to admit that one has no knowledge of a issue which is what leads to propogation of a theory that was false to start with! Also people do not have the time to read & validate theories so they take the easy way out and just believe them instead of questioning them. In this instance children are better as they need to know why and how of everything they encounter they do not believe anything that can not be proved, except maybe santa claus ( and I think they believe in santa more due to the gifts they get ), I think we should seriously turn to being children again!
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