This thread is meant as an invitation for members of the forum with a background in the hard sciences (I.e.the natural sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) to let us know who you are so we know whose expertise to trust in debates on the forum.
Scientific knowledge plays a crucial role in debates on RF and that very much reflects the role science plays in society at large as the standard of knowledge. It is also under attack from a number of sources such as political, religious and corporate groups which through the power of mass media spread distortions and misinformation that find their way to the general public and to many members of RF. It is hard to overcome your ignorance on certain subjects especially if you are too ignorant to recognise our own ignorance behind the mask of certainty and conviction. It takes a certain humility to respect those with greater knowledge and expertise especially when cherished beliefs are at stake, which is why it matters to know whose posts can be deferred to on relevant areas.
I realise there are at least one or two scientists on RF and what I hope is that by making it a bit more obvious who to look out for, it will help enlighten everyone else.
For the purposes of clarification I am going to assume a minimum of either currently studying or have studied in the sciences at a graduate level. That's not very high but still higher than secondary/high school education in science the rest of us will probably have. If you have something else in mind worth sharing such as a life long hobby in one of the sciences, feel free and if your a student your voice should be included as well.
This is thread is simply so you can makes yourselves known and share your level of education and expertise, so the non-scientists have a better idea of who to trust in threads on specialised subjects and who to ask for advice on tricky subjects (if you are open to it).
scientists don't always have the answers but they often can ask better questions and that can get the rest of us at least half way there.
Go Science!
Scientific knowledge plays a crucial role in debates on RF and that very much reflects the role science plays in society at large as the standard of knowledge. It is also under attack from a number of sources such as political, religious and corporate groups which through the power of mass media spread distortions and misinformation that find their way to the general public and to many members of RF. It is hard to overcome your ignorance on certain subjects especially if you are too ignorant to recognise our own ignorance behind the mask of certainty and conviction. It takes a certain humility to respect those with greater knowledge and expertise especially when cherished beliefs are at stake, which is why it matters to know whose posts can be deferred to on relevant areas.
I realise there are at least one or two scientists on RF and what I hope is that by making it a bit more obvious who to look out for, it will help enlighten everyone else.
For the purposes of clarification I am going to assume a minimum of either currently studying or have studied in the sciences at a graduate level. That's not very high but still higher than secondary/high school education in science the rest of us will probably have. If you have something else in mind worth sharing such as a life long hobby in one of the sciences, feel free and if your a student your voice should be included as well.
This is thread is simply so you can makes yourselves known and share your level of education and expertise, so the non-scientists have a better idea of who to trust in threads on specialised subjects and who to ask for advice on tricky subjects (if you are open to it).
scientists don't always have the answers but they often can ask better questions and that can get the rest of us at least half way there.
Go Science!