| > higher dimensional fields like economics and finance As I've gotten older, I've become -- through experience -- more cognizant of how this is the case also in medicine and other fields. And in many aspects of "hard science", as well. There are a lot of people out there who want to believe certain things. Being a "scientist" doesn't seem -- in general, across the population of scientists -- to confer any great immunity to this. On the one side, there are the "faith-ers". ("We just need the evidence. Or... I'll "extrapolate" to a conclusion.) On the other side, the "deniers". (If it hasn't been explained/proven (in some cases, down to the level of quantum fluxuation), it can't possibly exist and I'm going to ignore any anecdote, supposition, or empirical evidence to the contrary.) Both of these can drown out the actual, intelligence conversation around a topic. And they can grossly mis-inform a public that would be much better served by same. If the public weren't so busy listening to the "extremists". Perhaps there is the rub. |