Sound familiar? Anti-global warming and pro-tobacco same spin, different era, bigger problem
One of the weaknesses of science is the ability of others to take legitimate questioning of results and twist them to their own ends. For example, Global Warming. For a long time some scientists took the stand that all the data wasn’t in, etc. I think they thought they were doing a service to science, but in reality they did a disservice to humanity. The dissention and delay has made progress difficult until recently and well, maybe it’s too late.
I saw today this great YouTube video that illustrates how science can be perverted by others:
Granted, some of the tobacco lobby’s scientists might not have been the most ethical people in the world. Or they really wanted to be sure the data was solid, that there was no doubt. Rarely are scientific findings beyond a shadow of a doubt. The question is then, when does science have to take a backseat to the greater good?
Would global warming dissenters been better to have kept quiet and publicly went along with it, while behind the scenes working towards better data and models? Don’t have an answer to that. Wish I did though because I foresee humanity facing these ethical dilemmas more not less in the future.