As the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sensation around the world, more and more people are making scientifically false statements about vaccines and COVID-19. Hassan Vally, associate professor of public health at La Trobe University in Australia, explains the “five points” that find those who try to get into the hearts of anxious people and draw scientifically incorrect conclusions.
5 methods can find out if someone is trying to mislead you in science
https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-spot-if-someone-is-trying-to-mislead-you-when-it-comes-to-science-138814
1: The attempt to guide "we vs them"
" name someone "untrustworthy person or group" to discredit those with scientific evidence, which is a strategy often used by those who make scientific misclaimed claims. Taking advantage of people’s distrust of authority, this approach is simple, but by inciting conflict, because “someone is trying to hurt us”, it will be easier for people to ignore scientific evidence. .
Walley listed Australian MP Craig Kelly as an example of using this method. Kelly argued that the reason why hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin were not approved for the treatment of COVID-19 was a conspiracy of the "big government". Although the drugs have not been proven to be effective in treating COVID-19, Kelly claims that “someone is blocking drug approvals” will distract people from scientific evidence. It tries to lead to false conclusions. This is a reasonable claim for those who believe that their rights are restricted by someone.
2: Say "I'm not a scientist"
Those who claim to be scientifically wrong often use the first sentence "I'm not a scientist" to indulge themselves in saying unscrupulous words, and intentionally or unintentionally ignore the accuracy of science. Furthermore, “I know what science is saying, but I have an open mind” This seemingly rational idea is also used to ignore scientific evidence and to refute those who want to remind them.
In Australia, Senator Jim Molan said in a debate on whether climate change is caused by humans, "I don't rely on evidence." He claims that he thinks about climate change with an open mind, not scientific evidence.
3: Claiming "scientific uncertainty"
Wally said this may be one of the most misleading strategies in the past. Indeed, there are many things that science has not yet reached a clear conclusion, and there are many scientific uncertainties, especially about the novel coronavirus under investigation. But even if it is impossible to draw a clear conclusion, scientists will seek the most accurate view based on the existing evidence.
Those who make scientific wrong claims often accuse science of not making accurate conclusions to exaggerate uncertainty in a certain field. In the digital world, it is easy to adopt the approach of trying to raise doubts about science, confuse people, and undermine science to promote its claims.
4: Oversimplified explanation
Oversimplified or generalized explanation of things is a factor in creating a conspiracy theories that link each event to a conspiracy theory. People hate complex explanations that are difficult to understand, but unfortunately, science is often interpreted as confusing and subtle nuances, which can be confusing. Conspiracy theorists take advantage of human nature, a characteristic that is easily attracted to simple explanations, and believe in scientifically wrong claims. For example, "5G is the cause of COVID-19."
5: Only convenient evidence is used
cherry picking, the term is based on the perceived process of harvesting fruits, such as picking cherries. The person who picks the fruits picks out the good fruits, and the person who sees them may think that all the fruits are good, but in fact they are not. This may also leave a false impression on the quality of the fruit (because it is just a sample and not a representative sample).
only uses things that benefit you from numerous cases and evidence, and is a technique that is often used by those who make scientific false claims.Walli pointed out that unilateral arguments or suppressors regard scientific research as chocolate in a box, taking only evidence that matches their views, and ignoring the evidence that can be refuted. ..
Not all studies in the world have equal credibility, with some credible evidence and some unreliable evidence. It is difficult for the public to discover evidence that unilaterally argue or suppress evidence, so the final decision should be left to experts who are familiar with scientific research and have the ability to evaluate the reliability of the evidence.
For example, the chart used in the negative theory of global warming: At a specific time, such as 1998-2012, even if there is a trend of global warming , it can artificially create the illusion of "pause" warming.
Walley pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the speed and danger of disinformation spreading in digital society. He believes that the key to avoid being fooled by misinformation is understanding the strategies used to mislead.
