(March 22, 2022 at 9:13 am)polymath257 Wrote:Which why in my earlier post I said I was unsure if this applied to physics(March 21, 2022 at 4:26 pm)Helios Wrote: They often do but that sort only points out the problem. After all, why would you need to do that if there wasn't a bias? Plus I wasn't just talking about publication. The research itself in these fields have been highly male-centric
For instance medical trials
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...cal-trials
https://theconversation.com/gender-bias-...isk-156495
First, let's separate the sciences that study humans from those that do not.
For the sciences that do not, are the conclusions invalidated because women are under-represented in the sciences?
I would say not, although because of lack of diversity (and thereby for alternative explanations), the progress will be slower. Any time intelligent people are excluded from participating, the progress of science will slow. But, I also believe the correct conclusions eventually arise, are tested, and are accepted.
It should be pointed out that new ideas in science are *always* challenged and 'put through a wringer'. That is how it should be and does not, in and of itself, represent bias. It is important that the new ideas be challenged, compared to available evidence, be subject to criticism (even harsh criticism), etc. This is how science is, and should be done. And it is true for men who propose new ideas (Gould and Eldridge for Punctuated Equilibria come to mind) as it is for women and other groups.
For those sciences that *do* study humans, the male bias is much more pronounced and dangerous. Again, lack of diversity is the basic problem, along with the default assumption that 'all people are like me'. Because of this, situations where men and women differ in their responses (diseases, social responsibilities, etc) will not be studied in the ways necessary for the correct application to women. As your articles point out, the health of women is harmed by this bias. But, in the same way, the health of those of under-represented races is also harmed for the same reasons.
These are situations where, because the studies are not suitably designed, the conclusions derived can be wrong and dangerous for those not part of the study. To some degree, it comes down to realizing that race or gender can be a relevant factor for care.
But let's be clear. The basic ideas of science: that we need to test our ideas and challenge them in as many cases as possible, and that conclusions should always be seen as current approximations are *still* good and required. The problem comes when biases mean we don't test as fully as we should or consider alternatives when we should.
But the scientific method itself isn't gender dependent, nor race dependent.
"Change was inevitable"
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Nemo sicut deus debet esse!
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“No matter what men think, abortion is a fact of life. Women have always had them; they always have and they always will. Are they going to have good ones or bad ones? Will the good ones be reserved for the rich, while the poor women go to quacks?”
–SHIRLEY CHISHOLM