The appeal to "Scientific consensus" is fraught with problems, just like "The science is settled" and "Trust the science" and other authoritarian tropes that have dominated the pandemic.
A widely accepted theory, such as the theory of evolution, depends on a consensus being reached among the scientific community, but it must be achieved without censorship or reprisal.
Every major scientific advance involves challenges to a consensus.
It's not difficult to reach a scientific consensus when you squelch dissenting voices.
Scientific consensus has become a manufactured construct, dictated by politics and power.
Several years ago, my successful career at the ABC came to a grinding halt after defenders of "Scientific consensus" criticised several documentaries I produced, which questioned various medical orthodoxies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, nutritional guidelines, and the over-prescription of medicines.
The ABC caved to the relentless pressure and suspended me from on-air duties, concluding that I'd given prominence "To views challenging the scientific consensus."
No comments:
Post a Comment