> We would counter that NCCA is compromising national security through its embrace of the pseudoscience of polygraphy and its mulish resistance to independent review of its “research” findings.
I dislike “non scientist” as a disparagement - you don’t need to a PhD or trained bench scientist to follow the scientific method. Many times throughout history trained “scientists” have deviated from proper scientific method, and plenty of exciting developments have been from non professionals.
That said in this case, and given the field involved, I suspect that there wasn’t a whole lot of scientific method involved in the counter measures research :-/
The hateful and unjust lie of the polygraph test is useful. It allows you to persecute on false pretenses.
They do not want a lie detector. They want a magic button to push to allow them to detain anytime they want. Fail a polygraph? Go to jail. Pass a polygraph? You used terrorist methods to do so.
Friendly reminder that American soldiers in Abu Grahib used rape as a weapon of tourtue.
But don't worry Google isn't developing ai weapons that would be trouble.
You have to define "they". One of the most useful aspects of polygraphs is their ability to spur spontaneous confessions. Most people who leak/serve as foreign agents are not Snowdens, they're largely weak people who's weakness is being exploited by a geopolitical adversary. Put a weak, vulnerable person under the microscope, present even a hint of extra scrutiny and all the consequences that might entail, and they often crack out of semi-irrational fear. I say semi-irrational because while ploygraphs don't often hold up in court, they can be useful in targeting potential suspects for further investigation/monitoring.
This is an insult to mules.