Dogmatism in Science and Medicine : How Dominant Theories Monopolize Research and Stifle the Search for Truth
The nature of scientific activity has changed dramatically over the last half century, and the objectivity and rigorous search for evidence that once defined it are being abandoned. Increasingly, this text argues, dogma has taken the place of authentic science. This study examines how conflicts of interest--both institutional and individual--have become pervasive in the science world, and also explores the troubling state of research funding and flaws of the peer-review process. It looks in depth at the dominance of several specific theories, including the Big Bang cosmology, human-caused glob
1 online resource (303 pages)
9780786485741, 0786485744
794664284
Cover; Table of Contents; List of Figures; List of Tables; Preface; Introduction; 1. Three Prominent Knowledge Monopolies and Research Cartels; 2. Common Features of Knowledge Monopolies; 3. A Public Act of Censorship; 4. More Cartels and Hegemonies; 5. Knowledge Monopolies as a New Phenomenon in Science; 6. How Science Became Reliable, and Why It No Longer Is; 7. Public Knowledge About Science; 8. Official Reports Are Not Scientific Publications; 9. 21st-Century Science; 10. Consequences; 11. Can 21st-Century Science Become Trustworthy Again?; Bibliography; Index