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LadyEllen -> RE: Utopia :) (8/3/2006 8:41:44 AM)
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In that case then Harry - is there any point in any form of evidentially based debate? After all, if the results of all research are determined by the sponsor's will rather than analysis of the results, then its fairly useless for anything, including as a basis for modern society.
Instead we should abandon all research and scientific endeavour, no longer have trust in any form of technology as far back as the wheel (since if I sponsor research to say wheels dont work then it invalidates any knowledge to the contrary), and trust instead in superstition. And if we come to debate anything, then might is whats right, since there is no way of and no point in bringing reason and evidence to the table as they are discredited.
Problem is, that form of society was a miserable, poverty afflicted, plague and pestilience affected era of inadequate medicine and frequent starvation where war was the norm. If our ancestors had the sense to research better ways to live and rely on the results of that research to improve life for us, then how can it be that we could be foolish enough to not do the same?
I certainly take your point that sometimes research is unduly influenced by the researcher, but when the same results are obtained in repeat studies by independent researchers, such influence has to be discounted.
I also take your implied point that psychology and sociology (which have given rise to this research and results about male/female attributes) are not purely scientific in the way that physics is, but the use of Occam's Razor in understanding and dealing with the human condition is not practical and not even useful - the biochemical interaction of substances in the brain tells us nothing about a thought for instance.
Lastly, my comment seems to have been misunderstood as some form of male bashing - I can assure it was not intended that way. Studies have shown that male and female brains are not only built differently but also function differently. The differences in structure and function are what makes females generally better at communication - but those same differences are what makes males generally better at mathematics for instance. Its not to say that one is overall better than another, nor to say that males cannot communicate or women cant do mathematics - its just to say that in general there are some skills for which one gender or the other is generally better suited.
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