Comment Re:Common sense (Score 1) 514
Scientists tend to have tunnel vision and have made mistakes with global impact in the past.
People have tunnel vision and have made mistakes with global impact in the past.
If you think you can make a case for how this is a thing specific to scientists, or that scientists have an even slightly-above-average tendency to be like that, please make your case. We're listening.
I think scientists have a below average tendency to be like that, so they're less likely than most people, to have tunnel vision and make mistakes with global impact. The reason I think this, is that scientists have a system, however imperfect, for finding and correcting mistakes. And scientists love doing just that, even to their closest peers. Most non-scientists don't have such a system. And then when someone does find a mistake, there are social pressures for hiding the truth. Outside of science, those social pressures are called "being a pal" and are generally encouraged. In science, those social pressures are considered the one and only unforgiveable sin, and are always spoken of as being totally repugnant. (Thus: scientists are more likely to find a mistake, and then are also more likely to try to correct the mistake.)
That's my argument, at least. Perhaps you have a better argument for your counter-intuitive (but perhaps correct!) assertion. Let's hear it.