What Is Peer Review?

It had not even occurred to me that much of the resistance to scientific understanding may stem from the idea that the peer review process is essentially a corrupt group of individuals who wish to claim ultimate authority over fact.

Until I got this comment.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Science
• Peer
• Review
• Scientific
• Method
• Thunderf00t
• dprjones
• potholer54
• Critical
• Thinking

[ianmac2010]

You have a pollyanna view of peer review.

It's arbitrary, subjective, biased and often corrupt.

That's the dirty reality of peer review.

Oh, and it's NOT part of the scientific method. Everyone seems to think it is, but that's the other dirty little secret about sneer, I mean peer review.

[ThinkAbout1t]

@ianmac2010 The great thing about peer review, and science, is that it relies on evidence.

So put up, or shut up.

I don't claim peer review is perfect, nothing is perfect. But it's the best method we have available of weeding out misinformation.

[13shadowwolf]

I don't believe this. If the paper was not well written, had logical holes, didn't clearly show train of evidence, or other significant problems it could be rejected. It would not be rejected if it was well written and showed backing evidence.

[DeepSpace8andahalf]

Look up "Dr. Bazant" & "crush up, Crush Down"

and note that I say "peer review" (?)

Bah HUMBUG!

[crabbieappleton]

I agree, such a statement could only have been made by someone who has never submitted anything for peer review.

In my experience, peer reviewers are actively and eagerly looking for points of disagreement, flaws in argumentation, even bad writing.

[SuperPais]

@jakestutheit1 They were brutal and etc to your ? I feel sorry.

[SuperPais]

Peer review is one a doctor agrees that his collegue monkey brain can write and read.

[jakestutheit1]

"...you only get to be a peer by agreeing with the current consensus."

You obviously have never taken part in a scientific study, or are familiar with the grueling, brutal, and sometimes humbling and humiliating process of a well done scientific study. I have been involved in several, and can tell you that you have never been more wrong in your life regarding this statement.

[rosun82]

@ianmac2010 What else can you do? A public vote including morons who don't understand anything?

[Ivor7777777]

The naïveté of the person who put this together is alarming,

"Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are great con-men, and the story they are telling may be the greatest hoax ever. In explaining evolution, we do not have one iota of fact."

Dr. T. N. Tahmisian (Atomic Energy Commission, USA) in "The Fresno Bee", August 20, 1959. As quoted by N. J. Mitchell, Evolution and the Emperor's New Clothes, Roydon Publications, UK, 1983, title page

[TheCodedAtheist]

@ianmac2010 - The peer review process isn't perfect, there is always a human element. Do you have a better option, because I'd sure like to hear it. Incidentally, you're remark bares the resemblance of one coming from many butt hurt creationist and grand conspiracy theorists. You're not one of those are you? LoL!

[gary031183]

@ThinkAbout1t Did you ever get a response? I am going to guess...no. lol.

[BrooklynRagtag]

@ianmac2010 I know these are old posts, but ID isn't a theory. It hasn't made the confirmed testable predictions that are necessary in order to qualify as a theory.