Why this blog?

On these pages, we will explore some of the difficulties presented when science is turned to as a source of answers to a broad array of problems and issues facing society.   Global climate change, health, energy, education, the economy – all have their cadres of experts ready to provide data and to speak authoritatively.   Every day, it seems, the media reports on environmental findings, the genetic basis of complex traits, neuroscientific explanations for complicated behaviors, or some new health condition we didn’t even realize we had until a test, screen, or marker manages to detect it.    In reality, science – particularly “science” as represented by academic scientific research – rarely offers unqualified answers to the questions we are asking of it.  At best, science contributes bits of knowledge that only when combined with lots of other pieces from myriad other sources can help us solve the puzzles that vex us.