Comments on: Where is public confidence in science? http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=4220 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:36:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Joseph O'Sullivan http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=4220&cpage=1#comment-9111 Joseph O'Sullivan Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:21:35 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=4220#comment-9111 This post brings up an excellent point. Arguments about the science are not about the science. Some sides in a controversy find that its to their advantage to switch the focus from the actual problem. Its a common tactic in lawsuits. Regulated groups will challenge regulations in court by saying the science is too uncertain to support an agency decision, but the real issue is if the group should be regulated at all. In my own naive way I think that science should only be argued if a real controversy exists, but I'm jaded enough to know that the real world doesn't work that way. This post brings up an excellent point. Arguments about the science are not about the science. Some sides in a controversy find that its to their advantage to switch the focus from the actual problem.

Its a common tactic in lawsuits. Regulated groups will challenge regulations in court by saying the science is too uncertain to support an agency decision, but the real issue is if the group should be regulated at all.

In my own naive way I think that science should only be argued if a real controversy exists, but I’m jaded enough to know that the real world doesn’t work that way.

]]> By: Markk http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=4220&cpage=1#comment-9110 Markk Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:06:07 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=4220#comment-9110 Yes it is especially tough to make the extended argument: I don't want to get my kids vaccinated, and if I can find enough people like me, a lot of YOUR kids are going to get sick and maybe die when they wouldn't have before... anti-vaccers won't win that fight, so they have to attack the basis of that point. Yes it is especially tough to make the extended argument: I don’t want to get my kids vaccinated, and if I can find enough people like me, a lot of YOUR kids are going to get sick and maybe die when they wouldn’t have before… anti-vaccers won’t win that fight, so they have to attack the basis of that point.

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