• spujb@lemmy.cafe
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    6 months ago

    guy on lemmy “this was already obvious, why don’t they try studying something actually useful”

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      This, but to some degree, unironically. If studies aren’t reproducible (or deemed worthy of reproduction) then there’s definitely a disconnect between the folks handing out research assignments and the folks engineering applicable solutions to scientific problems.

      That goes two ways. You could be a guy who successfully formulates a mathematical model to support the existence of Neutrinos and face a funding board that has no interest in building a LHC. That’s arguably a problem of malinvestment within the scientific community. Or you could be a guy who successfully formulates a mathematical model for a new kind of mouse trap that’s 10% less efficient than traditional mouse traps. That’s more of a university research assignment problem. Or you could have a researcher who claims he’s the only one who can do a particular thing, because he’s got the magic touch. If the research is unfalsifiable by design, that’s an entirely new kind of problem.

      • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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        6 months ago

        i think you bring up valid instances where this is fair.

        but i think i’m speaking to the very obvious and important ones that are worthy of reproduction. like i’ve seen articles be like “these corporations are responsible for 99% of climate change” or something

        and the comments will be like “duh we knew that”

        which true, but not empirically. being able to cite data from actual research from professionals is so valuable and far better than anecdotes or guesses. edit: and also informs meaningful policy.

        that said, is there some way for a layperson like me to identify when research is not deemed worthy of reproduction? or is it a lost cause