Oli, did you actually read the whole blog?
Thank goodness someone is keeping watch, it is a great deal more
sinister than merely "interesting".
Clearly, it's not only aristocratic Ministers in the German Federal
Government who succumb to such temptations.
This is, however, a completely different discussion from the multitude
of valid "disconfirmations" or even "falsifications" of the reigning
shibboleths in science.
Many years ago I heard of, but unfortunately did not make a note of, (at
least one) a fascinating book recording all the "valid" scientific
experiments that appear to contradict current theory - a la Thomas Kuhn
of course, we are just waiting for the next paradigm shift and
revolution to set us on a new and better "verified" path, hopefully in
sub-atomic physics and in cosmology (which is only about 70% wrong at
present) for example. If science is supposed to be genuinely open and
empirical then it is by definition never absolute... but human pride and
ambition tends to get in the way....
That is why I suspect such "negative" results do not get published and
in some cases are even (gasp) suppressed.
Chris is right, the blog http://retractionwatch.wordpress.com/. is not
only fascinating but salutary and in a way rather depressing...
Alan
On 22/10/2012 16:20, Oli Usher wrote:
> Retraction Watch is indeed interesting.
>
> But negative results and misconduct are not the same thing.
>
> Oli
>
> On 22/10/2012 16:16, Chris Stokes wrote:
>> There's the fascinating Retraction Watch blog
>> http://retractionwatch.wordpress.com/.
>>
>> Aren't there plenty of books published on scientific misconduct,
>> especially on specific alleged miscreants, like Millikan, Mendel,
>> Cyril Burt...?
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Palmer
>> Sent: 22 October 2012 11:30
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: [PSCI-COM] Communicating Negative Results in Research
>>
>> Dear List,
>>
>> Reading Ben Goldacre's latest book 'Bad Pharma', one of the problems
>> he mentions is (some) researchers feel negative results are not
>> interesting and hence don't (aways) publish them. Does the list
>> feel
>> that the same problem (lack of interest) exists with science
>> communication discussing/explaining negative results? The only
>> activity I can think of that brings them to public attention are the
>> IgNobels, but perhaps there are other events/formats ?
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Richard
>>
>
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