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Comment by lovemenot | Hacker News Reader

This article talked a lot about an experiment's results and how this may affect public policy. The experiment being discussed was about the behaviour of people who apply scepticism to scientific results.

It is ironic then that the article barely gave any account of the experiment itself. Just its findings. Readers are given no opportunity to critically evaluate the experiment.

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Right. The whole purpose of science is for others to repeat the experiment and verify it’s result. Never trust a scientist! “Scientists” these days are really more modern day priests.

I cannot tell whether your comment is sincere or facetious. And its first word is unwarranted as your comment does not actually follow on from its parent.

I didn't read the paper on which this article is based. But I understand it's not so much about why to distrust scientists, as it is about the benefit of employing critical thinking to scientific results.

My earlier comment wasn't about the experiment per se. Rather, the way the article was written.

I don't know about "priests." I have recently seen crowds of rock dumb idiots gathered outside of scientists' homes threatening their life and their family's lives.

I don't think priests ever had to worry about the rock dumb laiety showing up with pitch forks.

You may be forgetting about the man who started it all...

I am more than happy to trust a scientist that clearly explains his work and thought process. I am wary of scientists that only have conclusions and hide behind jargon and "it's too complicated to explain to rubes, they'll never understand" elitism.

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