Tuesday, October 02, 2007

A Need For Basic Science Education

After reading many newspaper articles and some editorials (As well as viewing TV news and feature article) as to matters of medicine and other scientific subjects (AND considering the exposed ignorance of of science as demonstrated by too many persons I have spoken with AND too many journalists, it is apparent that it would be well for newspapers to publish a short refresher as to the meaning AND application of the following words and terms: "Experimental design; Double Blind; Controlled Study; Multi-Factor Analysis; Reliable-and-valid; Peer evaluated; Placebo effect; Long-term VS. short-term study; Inductive VS Deductive reasoning; Levels of confidence; ETC.".

I specially note the need to define "Long term VS. short term" as to each type of science (eg Five years for medicines; Thousands of years for climate changes; Hundreds of thousands of years for geology).

I have no doubt that many of us could benefit from such a presentation.

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