Rogue Journal Club

Science and journalism have an interesting relationship. Today we get into a new article on uptake of science into journalism through press releases and more. Article reviewed in this episode: “Building the Science News Agenda: The Permeability of Science Journalism to Public Relations” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10776990211047949 Would you like to suggest papers for us to review...

A recent article claims that being on the internet access has a positive effect on personal well-being. Does it really? Article reviewed in this episode: “A Multiverse Analysis of the Associations Between Internet Use and Well-Being” https://tmb.apaopen.org/pub/a2exdqgg/release/1 Would you like to suggest papers for us to review? Connect with us on Wokescreen! Wokescreen Promotional Code: ScioSoph...

Postmodernism is often hostile to the notion of truth and also to falsification. Karl Popper came up with falsification as a key part of science. A recent article discusses Popper and the notion of truth and why it matters. It's our Popper episode! Article reviewed in this episode: “The Notion of Truth in Sciences and Medicine, Why it Matters and Why We Must Defend It” https://www.cambridge.org/co...

There's a recent and more philosophical piece arguing that ideological diversity has a lot of benefits. We review that article and discuss the implications for science writ large. Article reviewed in this episode: “The Epistemic Benefits of Ideological Diversity” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12136-023-00582-z Would you like to suggest papers for us to review? Connect with us on Wokes...

A recent article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences discusses the issue of scientific censorship and the soft censorship style that may have profoundly bad effects on both science and society. We discuss this article and it's connections to recent events. Article reviewed in this episode: “Prosocial motives underlie scientific censorship by scientists: A perspective and researc...

There's a lot of discussion on the concept of objectivity and objective reality. Science focuses on understanding and observing objective reality. Many philosophical traditions do also focus on objective reality, but there are some traditions that do not think objective reality exists (particularly postmodernism). Using this particular article as an example, we jump into a discussion on the differ...

A recent "research article" discussed how different groups uses a religious discourse to de-legitimize climate activism. From poor logic to misunderstanding the difference between cults and religion, the article is a mess. We're joined by Kieran White, multimedia journalist, host of the Crowd Source Podcast, and the founder of Wokescreen for his take on the article. Article reviewed in this episod...

A recent commentary describes why AI will never achieve what's called general artificial intelligence. The commentary walks through the history of AI and describes in detail the things AI really can't do. We discuss and expand upon the issue of AI in modern life. Article reviewed in this episode:Why general artificial intelligence will not be realized https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0494-4 Woul...

A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examines the fraction of children with asthma that is attributable to gas stoves in the home. Interesting take, but there's a few things worth pointing out. Article reviewed in this episode:Population Attributable Fraction of Gas Stoves and Childhood Asthma in the United States https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/75 W...

A new study Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology examines if the labeling of cannabinoid content in topical products available online and in stores is accurate. It's a very straightforward study, and we discuss issues surrounding CBD and THC. Article reviewed in this episode: Cannabinoid Content and Label Accuracy of Hemp-Derived Topical Products Available Online and at National Retail Stores https:...

A new study in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics examines if it really is gluten that causes gluten sensitivity in adolescents. The results are a fascinating take that shows no difference in sensitivity resulting from gluten. Article reviewed in this episode: The effect of gluten in adolescents and young adults with gastrointestinal symptoms: a blinded randomised cross-over trial https://on...

A 2022 in Nature Communications caught our attention. The article discusses how Americans think their fellow Americans think about climate change. Particularly discusses the idea of false social realities. Interesting, and a fairly well-done article. Article reviewed in this episode: Americans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half https:...

A 2022 guest commentary in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters caught the attention of many, including us. The authors of the article argue that in the name of inclusion some speech must be censored and that such instances are examples of "consequence culture" and represent a "recalibration" and an "evolution." We disagree. Article reviewed in this episode: Words Matter: On the Debate over F...

A 2022 Community Science commentary pushes for the advancement of community science, which seems to have more of an advocacy bent then is traditional for scientists. We get into a philosophical discussion of community science and actionable science. Study reviewed in this episode: Augmenting the Grammar of Science—The Community Science Exchange https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022...

A 2020 study in Climate Policy discusses the influence that populist political rhetoric has on public support for climate mitigation policies. The authors argue that support for climate policies can be fostered by emphasizing that elites are responsive to the needs and preferences of citizens. Study reviewed in this episode: Political populism, responsiveness, and public support for climate mitiga...

A 2018 paper in Social Epistemology argues that scientists should not be open, sincere, transparent, or honest when communicating their results with the public or decision-makers. We dissect this paper and discuss the implications. Study discussed during the podcast: Epistemic trust and the ethics of science communication: against transparency, openness, sincerity and honesty: Social Epistemology:...