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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:52:23 -0600
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>>Doesn't that take us right back to the beginning of the whole debate? 
>>Beekeepers' subjective and objective field observations, hunches, 
>>experiences and comparisons vs. various published and unpublished studies 
>>of various qualities, depths and independence.
>
> Not at all, Allen.  Whether a pesticide causes harm under actual field 
> conditions can be fairly easily tested and quantified by the scientific 
> method.  The point is, that a field or semi field test is more important 
> than a lab trial.

I guess that illustrates why this debate will not end and why neither side 
will ever understand the other.

Your comments show that you believe that the scientific method can and will 
identify and deal with all possibilities.

On the other hand, many of us doubt that -- whether or not science can 
actually deal with unique and transitory situations, which an interesting 
and interminable philosophical debate in itself -- the current practitioners 
have the incentive, the money or the imagination to be able to replicate all 
the possible situations, microclimates, local concentrations, synergistic 
and catalytic effects which may be occurring in the wild.

There are limitations to the application of the scientific method which are 
beyond the scope of this discussion, but must be recognized. 

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