Two scientists disagree about the relative importance of die

Two scientists disagree about the relative importance of diet in controlling cholesterol. Dr. Smith\'s experiments suggest that the amount of cholesterol in a person\'s blood is directly related to the amount of cholesterol consumed in food. Dr. West\'s experiments, however, indicate that heredity has a more important influence than diet. Given what you have learned about the \'norms\' of science, which of the following statements is incorrect?

A. Dr. Smith expects his research to be evaluated and criticized by Dr. West

B. Dr. West must publish her data in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in order to communicate her work to Dr. Smith and  other scientists

C. Dr. Smith is likely to defend his interpretation of the data under any circumstances, even if new evidence comes to light that contradicts his interpretation

D. Dr. West most likely works in collaboration with other scientists on her research

E. All of the above are incorrect statements

Solution

According to the \'norms of science\', the following statement is incorrect:

C. Dr. Smith is likely to defend his interpretation of the data under any circumstances, even if new evidence comes to light that contradicts his interpretation

This statement is incorrect because an informed and responsible scientist is expected to understand and respect the importance of scientific findings of other scientists.If new evidence are found which contradicts his own interpretation, then he should re-evaluate his work rather than defend his interpretation of the data under any circumstances.

The main objective of a research is to guide the scientific community and the general public towards the direction of advancement and truth. If there are new findings supported with evidence, then Dr. Smith should accept the flaws in his research and give this information to the scientific community. This is one of the main principles of the \'norms of science\'