Forrest Mims: The Essential Role of Skepticism in Science
Science is a very human enterprise, so it can fall prey to very human problems. How a scientist conducts himself or herself professionally matters. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a two-part conversation on the importance of skepticism and integrity in science with engineer, inventor, writer, and self-taught scientist Forrest Mims. How important is skepticism to scientific research? How can scientists collaborate respectfully? In what ways can scientists honor their profession while interacting honrably with the public? Forrest shares stories and examples from his decades-long career in science as he answers these and other questions.
Mims emphasizes that integrity and skepticism are fundamental to scientific progress, arguing that a lack of skepticism leads to biased results and dogmatic thinking. He highlights a concerning trend where the National Academies of Science removed mentions of skepticism from their educational literature, a move he suggests may have been influenced by political pressures related to climate change research. Mims asserts that researchers must remain open to outcomes they did not expect because pre-conceived notions can block significant discoveries and harm the public’s trust in science.
Mims also points out that the validity of scientific research is rooted in rigorous methodology and peer review rather than formal academic credentials. He shares how his homemade instruments, built with standard parts, were able to identify errors in NASA’s atmospheric data because he maintained a constant skepticism of both his own and established instruments. He illustrates that when politics interferes with data selection, the integrity of the entire scientific enterprise is compromised.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Look for Part 2 next.
Dig Deeper
- Discover the twists and turns of Mims’s adventures in science with his recent memoir Maverick Scientist.
- Learn more about Forrest’s work at his website forrestmims.org.
- Watch this and other interviews on our YouTube channel.