Mar 21 2009
No Faith in Science
Faith has no place in science. The sentiment that it is okay to accept a proposition simply because we want to and/or because one or a number of people said it is true is the antithesis of what science is all about.
The crucial element that separates science from non-science is data. If a scientist or science writer presents a conclusion without sharing what they have based their thinking upon — the data — the automatic response should be, Hey, wait a minute . . . how did you arrive at that conclusion . . . what are you basing it upon?
Science demands, “Show me the evidence.”
A recent news release reporting that jury duty can cause a traumatizing of jurors not unlike PTSD, has provoked me into bringing my own gavel down. Guilty of making claims without providing evidence!
The news release, Report Warns Of Jury Service ‘Trauma’, makes a number of claims, including these:
The research confirms that jury service, particularly for crimes against people, can cause significant anxiety, and for a vulnerable minority it can lead to severe clinical levels of stress or the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.
The report claims jury service can be a significant stressor for a vulnerable minority and goes on to debate whether screening might be employed to eliminate jurors from potentially traumatising trials.
The piece makes claims, shares no data to back up the claims, and nonetheless progresses straight to making policy arguments. Sloppy science in the first degree.
The only number in the article’s hundreds of words is this: “An average of 390,000 British citizens serve on juries each year.” Okay, the topic is probably important. And?
Almost incredibly, the news release does contain a disclaimer of sorts, made by the research author himself -
While Dr Robertson urges caution in the interpretation of what was a small-scale Leicester study . . .
Why did the Dr. and writers of the piece not heed that very caution?
