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Inconvenient Truth and Inductive Risk in Covid-19 Science

Lichtenstein, Eli I. (2022) Inconvenient Truth and Inductive Risk in Covid-19 Science. Philosophy of Medicine, 3 (1). pp. 1-25. ISSN 2692-3963

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Abstract

To clarify the proper role of values in science, focusing on controversial expert responses to Covid-19, this article examines the status of (in)convenient hypotheses. Polarizing cases like health experts downplaying mask efficacy to save resources for healthcare workers, or scientists dismissing “accidental lab leak” hypotheses in view of potential xenophobia, plausibly involve modifying evidential standards for (in)convenient claims. Societies could accept that scientists handle (in)convenient claims just like nonscientists, and give experts less political power. Or societies could hold scientists to a higher bar, by expecting them not to modify evidential standards to avoid costs only incidentally tied to error.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Lichtenstein, Eli I.eli.lichtenstein@ed.ac.uk0000-0002-8456-7316
Keywords: Values in Science Noble Lie Epistemic Risk Trust Public Health Ethics
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine > Health and Disease
Depositing User: Professor Alex Broadbent
Date Deposited: 03 Jan 2023 14:28
Last Modified: 03 Jan 2023 14:28
Item ID: 21620
Journal or Publication Title: Philosophy of Medicine
Publisher: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
Official URL: https://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/132
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.5195/pom.2022.132
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine > Health and Disease
Date: 14 December 2022
Page Range: pp. 1-25
Volume: 3
Number: 1
ISSN: 2692-3963
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21620

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