Richard Feynman on the Scientific Method
Richard Feynman, in 1964, explains how science works.
The Trance of Dysfunction — Why Trolls Have Come to Dominate Discourse
Trolls dominate for many reasons — economics, technology, our predilection for sordid entertainment. But they’ve chilled online discourse and damaged civil exchanges, even making some publishers reluctant to take full advantage of the potential of the Internet. Are we ready for v2.0 of commenting?
I’m Pretty Sure I Remember That — False Memories
Do you remember when Darth Vader said, “Luke, I am your father”? Are you sure about that?
Revisiting an Interview with Paula Stephan — Economics, Science, and Doing Better
Revisiting Kent Anderson’s 2012 interview with the author of “How Economics Shape Science”.
Revisiting a Book Review: How Economics Shapes Science by Paula Stephan
Revisiting our review of Paula Stephan’s book after her keynote talk at the SSP Annual Meeting.
Don’t Feed the Trolls: Jonathan Coulton on the Internet’s Growing Pains
Musician Jonathan Coulton expresses his disillusionment with what the internet has become.
The Danger of Face Validity
Hypotheses that flatter our own preconceptions and biases are incredibly seductive, and the temptation to accept them at face value can be nearly irresistible. But in a world that seems to be drifting away from analytical rigor and fact-based decision-making, the ability to resist that temptation is more essential than ever.
Different Levels of Complexity Require Different Communication Strategies
A neuroscientist tries to explain his research to different audiences, from a five year-old to a colleague.
Citation Cartel Or Editor Gone Rogue?
How much can a single editor distort the citation record? Investigation documents rogue editor’s coercion of authors to cite his journal, papers.
The Tyranny of Amusements — Science, Spectacle, and the Lowly PDF
Do scholarly and scientific publishers risk more than they realize when they embrace modern media spectacle and seek to marginalize the PDF?
Book Review: “The Death of Expertise” by Tom Nichols
The new book by Tom Nichols, “The Death of Expertise,” is not perfect, but it is an important exploration of existential threats to science, education, and representative democracy.
Predatory Publishing as a Rational Response to Poorly Governed Academic Incentives
Are we thinking about predatory publishing the wrong way? Are researchers deliberately choosing these journals, and if so, what are the incentives driving this decision?
Ancient (1992) Piece of Science Humor Discovered
One from the vaults — a well worn Xerox copy of the sort of humor scientists used to share back in the ancient days of the early 1990’s.
Journals and Politicians — A Marriage for Mutual Benefit? Or a Temporary Alignment of Interests?
President Obama has published three articles in six months in three of the world’s most prestigious scholarly journals. Is it appropriate? With these precedents, what happens when the politics of the President conflicts with the politics of science?
Restoring a 17th Century Map and the Stories It Tells Us
A fragmented map found stuffed up a Scottish chimney is restored into a meaningful historical document.