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Here's a couple of links:  http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2013/04/obama-promises-to-protect-peer-r.html 

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/HQRA13_001_xml.pdf

Science as a practice self-corrects over time and the political debate raised by both merely reflects the process of science.  Peer reviews aren't perfect, but a means and the most locally relevant approach with knowledgable people.  Clearly, it's valuable to have challenges and reassessments that's part of the process as well.  Passing a law reflects a lack of understanding and ultimately makes things harder because normal activities become over regulated and is frequently more destructive than beneficial.   The Soviets were expert at it.  This may be downside of expertise and professionalization when viewed from the outside.  It's interesting that social sciences get focused on so intently. It seems directly proportional to likely familiarity. There lots of bad research out there and bum conclusions.  Never seen nor heard of public attacks on things like mathematical proofs, biochemical pathways, physical principles.  The recent discovery of faster than light particles didn't have Congress calling for massive investigations.  It's typically stuff that intersects the familiar sphere: evolution and the origin of life, climate and weather, disease remedies, obesity, and exactly what does it mean to be alive? That draw the most attention.

C  



Charles Carlson
Senior Scientist | Teacher Institute

http://blogs.exploratorium.edu/whyintercept/
Twitter: @charliec53
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exploratorium.edu
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