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Objectivity in
the scientific method is usually aimed at a target.
However, in turbid matters, the method to be applied
is usually not very objective and basically is as follows:
– Given a theory A
self-called orthodox or standard, and a non-orthodox
or non-standard theory B. If the observations
achieve what was predicted by the theory A
and not by the theory B, this implies
a large success to the theory A, something
which must be divulged immediately to the all-important
mass media. This means that there are no doubts that
theory A is the right one. Theory B
is wrong; one must forget this theory and, therefore,
any further research directed to it must be blocked
(putting obstacles in the way of publication, and giving
no time for telescopes, etc.). – If the observations
achieve what was predicted by theory B
rather than by theory A, this means
nothing. Science is very complex and before taking a
position we must think further about the matter and
make further tests. It is probable that the observer
of such had a failure at some point; further observations
are needed (and it will be difficult to make further
observations because we are not going to allow the use
of telescopes to re-test such a stupid theory as theory
B). Who knows! Perhaps the observed
thing is due to effect “So-and-so”, of course;
perhaps they have not corrected the data from this effect,
about which we know nothing. Everything is so complex.
We must be sure before we can say something about which
theory is correct. Furthermore, by adding some new aspects
in the theory A surely it can also
predict the observations, and, since we have an army
of theoreticians ready to put in patches and discover
new effects, in less than three months we will have
a new theory A (albeit with some changes)
which will agree the data. In any case, while in troubled
waters, and as long as we do not clarify the question,
theory A remains. Perhaps, as was said
by Halton Arp, the informal saying “to make extraordinary
changes one requires extraordinary evidence” really
means “to make personally disadvantageous changes
no evidence is extraordinary enough”.
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