[K0balt]

I agree there is a disconnect in pure logic, but I think it is observable that science is often conducted with a goal in mind (and is not then logically pure as a pursuit).

When the goal is the preservation of a species through the understanding of survival pressures caused by human activity, I think that understanding of the limitations of the state of the art does in fact translate into progress towards actionable understanding of the “ground truth”. This becomes manifest once you factor in the motivations of the researchers, who will use that knowledge to press further study, make new hypothesis, and couch the conclusions of their studies with this knowledge in mind.

Every advancement in understanding is built upon the knowledge of the shortcomings of previous investigations.

[_yb2s]

Thanks- most people that are researching this are doing so because they care about birds and/or alternative energy- in most cases both.