Amid harmful media noise on Taiwan and Ukraine, the scientific method could offer clarity
- Neither talking up war over Taiwan nor talking down peace in Ukraine is what the world needs. Instead of blind faith in traditional media, we must cultivate clear, scientific thinking
As a forensic scientist, I base my opinions on robust data, scientific testing and verification, attention to detail and application of the scientific method. There is always error in such processes and we try to beat down these errors to see the real signal more clearly.
The scientific method can also be usefully applied more broadly in life – in practical decision-making and opinion-forming.
We desperately need more of this now. If more of us can muster our scientific thinking processes from school or university, or acquire these mental skill sets, we can apply these to beat down the noise and see more clearly the real signal. Then, we might know better what and who to believe and so how to act.
These thinking skills include a critical evaluation of information so we can more easily separate truth from fiction, fact from fallacy, and be better able to recognise bluster – in less worrying times, this may only be about which products are best to buy.
Crucially, it is about what is more reasonable to believe. For many, it still comes down to uncritical belief in trusted news outlets, television news programmes and the daily paper – we are all usually too busy to do otherwise. Sadly, such blind faith can be misplaced, as the corrosive influence of the British right-wing press, for example, shows only too clearly, when seen with a critical and scientific eye.
Regrettably, much of the specialised scientific and objective reporting we used to rely on is often no longer from journalists with decent educational backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Balanced and educated opinion on such matters has diminished significantly over the last 20 years, replaced by journalists with less scientific backgrounds, talented as they may be, when we need relevant expertise more than ever.
Anyone who knows anything about China will understand it can play a very patient and long game – I believe any military takeover of Taiwan is a distant prospect.
Instead, I hope gradual improvements in trade, cooperation and understanding, coupled with respect for and recognition of different ways of doing things, like with Hong Kong and Macau, will reap dividends – one country, three systems.
So let’s tune out the confusing noise and seek clarity of purpose for the sake of peace – it’s the scientific and rational thing to do.
Quentin Parker is an astrophysicist based at the University of Hong Kong and director of its Laboratory for Space Research